Israel Will Continue To Increase Assault on Lebanon

 

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told Israelis the military assault on Lebanon will continue to escalate.

by Kyle Anzalone September 27, 2024 at 10:38 am ET 

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Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant explained on Friday that Tel Aviv is planning to ramp up its military operations in Lebanon. The remarks followed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejecting a US and French proposed ceasefire to halt the fighting on Israel’s northern border.

While visiting northern Israel, Gallant said, “We’ve been hitting Hezbollah very hard over the year, and especially in recent weeks – we will continue increasing this effort.” He continued, “We intend to bring about security to the communities in the north, and return those who left to their homes safely.”

Israel’s bombardment of southern and eastern Lebanon continued on Friday. On Monday, Tel Aviv launched one of the largest military assaults of the 21st century on Lebanon, killing over 500.  The strikes have continued over the past week, with the death toll now surpassing 700.

Gallant did not explain how Israel may increase its attacks on Lebanon. On Wednesday, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, said the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) were preparing for a ground invasion. “We do not stop, we continue to attack and continue to strike them everywhere. The goal is a very clear goal, to return the [displaced] residents of the north safely. To do this, we are preparing the [ground] maneuver,” he told Israeli soldiers.

Prime Minister Netanyahu is showing he is unwilling to de-escate in Lebanon. On Thursday, the US and France proposed a 21-day ceasefire on Israel’s northern border. Netanyahu’s office released a statement quickly rejecting the offer.

“The report about a ceasefire is incorrect. This is an American-French proposal that the Prime Minister has not even responded to,” the statement said. “The report about the purported directive to ease up on the fighting in the north is the opposite of the truth. The Prime Minister has directed the IDF to continue fighting with full force, according to the plan that was presented to him. The fighting in Gaza will also continue until all the objectives of the war have been achieved.”

On Saturday, Axios reported that Tel Aviv had received support for its plan to ramp up attacks in Lebanon by claiming it was a policy of “de-escalation through escalation.” However, Netanyahu now appears unwilling to de-escalate.

Kyle Anzalone is the opinion editor of Antiwar.com, news editor of the Libertarian Institute, and co-host of Conflicts of Interest.

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