Military Chief: Israel Preparing for an Offensive Against Lebanon

Touring the northern Israeli border with Lebanon, Israeli military chief of staff Herzi Halevi met with Northern Command for an assessment of the planned military operation against Lebanon, telling reservists in comments that they are “preparing for an offensive in the north.”

Halevi didn’t elaborate on the specifics or timing of the offensive, but Israeli military brass have made a big deal of planned operations against Lebanon, presenting the military goal as both moving Hezbollah back from the border and allowing refugees to return to northern Israel.

Israel and Hezbollah have been trading fire since October, and huge numbers of civilians have been displaced on both sides of the border. If anything, the situation has been escalating in recent weeks.

The United States has joined in efforts to try to prevent the Israeli ground war in Lebanon, and Israeli officials say a deal would involve a “freeze of the situation” and the removal of Hezbollah several kilometers from the border, albeit short of the UN calls to move them north of the Littani River.

In the past Israeli officials have indicated that they were placing deadlines on negotiated settlements in Lebanon. The US has long warned that an offensive would be a mistake, as it would force Israel to fight on multiple fronts at the same time.

🔗Source: Antiwar.com

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