Israel Defense Forces prepare for a northern offensive against the Lebanese group "Hezbollah". A decision on Gaza is awaited.
This was stated on Thursday by the head of the Northern Command, Major General Ori Gordin, quoted by YNet news.
Such an operation will not begin until the fighting in Gaza ends.
"We are prepared and ready. "When ordered, the enemy will face a strong and ready army," Gordin said, noting the high tension on the northern border during a ceremony marking 18 years since the war between Israel and Hezbollah. in 2006
He added that the army had "completed its general staff preparations for a northern offensive last week" and that soldiers and commanders on the ground are "trained and determined". He is confident in their ability to handle any mission against Iran-backed terrorist groups.
"We will not rest for a moment and will continue to fight with courage and wisdom until the mission is complete - to restore security and a sense of safety in the North. This responsibility is clear and rests on our shoulders," he added.
"Hezbollah suffered serious blows. About 420 employees were eliminated. Terrorist infrastructures built over years are destroyed and attacked daily. We have been doing this for eight months, understanding that, as 18 years ago, we have no choice but to continue fighting together until the mission is over.", he asserted.
We recall that projectiles described by the Lebanese group "Hezbollah" like kamikaze drones, were launched into northern Israel on Wednesday. At least seven people were injured.
"Hezbollah" claimed responsibility for the attack.
Witnesses said a football field was hit. There was no immediate information on the identities of the injured.
The Israeli military said there were several launches from Lebanon at Harfeish. The military said they failed to activate sirens telling people to take shelter and are investigating the incident.
The attack on Khurfeish, a Druze Arab village located 3 km from the border, followed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's warning that the long-running exchange of fire with the parallel war in Gaza could soon escalate.
A global human rights organization has accused Israel of using white phosphorus incendiary shells on residential buildings in at least five towns and villages in southern Lebanon. There are concerns that this harms civilians and violates international law.
The NGO Human Rights Watch said in a report that there was no evidence of burns caused by white phosphorus in Lebanon, but that researchers had "heard accounts indicating possible damage to the respiratory tract". According to defenders, firing disputed ammunition into populated areas is considered a crime under international law.
The heated chemical can set buildings on fire and cause serious burns on skin contact. Survivors are at risk of infection and organ or respiratory failure, even if their burns are not severe.
The Israeli military has said it complies with international law regarding the munitions and use of white phosphorus, using the chemical only as a smokescreen and not to target civilians.
"IDF (Israel Defense Forces) procedures require that such projectiles not be used in densely populated areas, subject to certain exceptions," they said in a statement.
In recent months, hostilities between the two countries have intensified. On June 4, fires broke out in northern Israel after rockets and drones from Lebanon hit several targets in the city of Kiryat Shmona and near the city of Metula.
Israel's military campaign in Gaza began after the attack by "Hamas" on October 7, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 253 were taken hostage.
The offensive has killed over 36,500 people in Gaza.
Nine out of ten children in Gaza are starving. This is what UNICEF claims.