Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing to launch a full-scale war against the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, Lebanese state television (LBCI) reported.
Hezbollah has fired rockets and mortar shells at Israeli positions amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. The attacks have prompted retaliatory airstrikes from the Israeli military.
According to LBCI, an intelligence report on Israel's plans was provided to Hezbollah by an unnamed Arab country. The station said the potential IDF operation is aimed at forcing militants to comply with United Nations Security Resolution 1701, which was adopted after the end of the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war. Resolution 1701 facilitates the establishment of a demilitarized zone along the Israel-Lebanon border.
The situation escalated further this month after an Israeli strike killed Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut, the Lebanese capital. Last week, Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said the possibility of conflict with Beirut was “much higher than before,” and that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were in a “growing state of readiness” for a cross-border attack.
Meanwhile, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said the involvement of other countries in the fighting between Israel and Hamas was “unacceptable.” Hezbollah MP Hassan Ezzedine warned that Lebanese soldiers would “strike back with double force and deal a heavy blow to the enemy.”
Earlier this month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to the Middle East to try to prevent an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah.
According to the Washington Post, US officials are concerned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be tempted to attack Israel’s northern neighbor amid growing criticism of his government ’s failure to prevent an October 7 Hamas attack that killed about 1,200 people. The report also said the IDF would “have difficulty succeeding” in a two-front war against Hamas and Hezbollah.
According to the Times of Israel, recently, when visiting northern Israel, IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi admitted that the possibility of Israel being drawn into the war in Lebanon is increasing.
KHANH MINH
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