Israel Is Gearing Up For Lebanon War As IDF Reaching ‘Decision Point’

There are fresh reports out of Israeli media that the country’s war cabinet is discussing launching a full-scale war against Hezbollah, which would likely involve an army ground invasion of southern Lebanon.

Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, said Tuesday a tough “decision” is close amid ratcheting daily attacks on northern Israel. “We are approaching the point where a decision will have to be made, and the IDF is prepared and very ready for this decision,” Halevi said while on a visit to an army base in Kiryat Shmona, a northern region which has witnessed massive fires this week resulting from Hezbollah drone and rocket attacks.

Israeli crews battle wildfires in northern Israel. Getty Images

“We have been attacking for eight months, and Hezbollah is paying a very, very high price. It has increased its strengths in recent days and we are prepared after a very good process of training… to move to an attack in the north,” he said.

“[We have] strong defense, readiness to attack, [and] we are approaching a decision point,” he emphasized. This was as a war cabinet meeting convened Tuesday night.

Huge fires this week have persisted in Israel’s Galilee region following stepped-up rocket and drone attacks by Hezbollah on northern Israel. Some reports said over 20 to 30 wildfires in various locations had consumed some 2,500 acres of land.

Since the Gaza war erupted in the wake of Hamas Oct.7 terror attack, over 80,000 residents of northern Israel have remained outside of their homes and communities, given the tit-for-tat fighting that has persisted.

Gen. Halevi concluded at the end of his visit to Kiryat Shmona: “now the IDF’s job is to destroy Hezbollah.”

While the northern border conflict has remained contained or limited in scope, some Israeli hawks in the Netanyahu governing coalition are urging immediate escalation. 

🔥 Israel is on fire. In response to Israel’s burning of olive trees in Lebanon with white phosphorus, Hezbollah is burning the Israeli settlements in the north. If we burn.. you burn with us pic.twitter.com/KM0ftnTwii

— Hadi (@HadiNasrallah) June 3, 2024

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is urging Israel and the armed forces to send Lebanon “back to the Stone Age”… while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has agreed that now is the time to take the war to Hezbollah.

Ben Gvir said in fresh statements that it is unacceptable that “our land is under fire and we are being hurt, that people here are evacuating,” while at the same time there is “quiet in Lebanon.”

“They’re burning [us] here. All Hezbollah strongholds should be burned, they should be destroyed. War!” he exclaimed in a video message.

Visiting Kiryat Shmona, Ben Gvir calls for war in Lebanon

“לא יכול להיות שחבל ארץ שלנו מטווחים אותו, פוגעים בו, אנשים כאן מתפנים, לא יכול להיות מצב שיהיה שקט בלבנון. הם שורפים כאן, צריך לשרוף את כל מעוזי החזבאללה, להשמיד אותם. מלחמה!״ pic.twitter.com/ydXvqqPeud

— Sam Sokol (@SamuelSokol) June 4, 2024

An Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon could spark a broader war with Iran, however, given Tehran is Hezbollah’s closest backer. There may even be IRGC advisors on the ground helping Hezbollah at this point. Already Israel has been striking inside Syria on a weekly basis, and such attacks would likely escalate further.