Israeli officials have warned that the country is on the “brink” of a full-scale war with Hezbollah if the terrorist group continues to increase its aggression in northern Israel.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued the warning on Sunday, just a day before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser to President Biden. The Biden administration is pressuring Israel to avoid a war in Lebanon, but IDF officials continue to highlight the enormous threat Hezbollah poses compared to Hamas.
“Hezbollah’s growing aggression is bringing us to the brink of what could be a broader escalation,” an IDF spokesman warned on Sunday.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant echoed the statement in his own talks with Hochstein on Monday.
ISRAELI WAR CABINET MINISTER BENNY GANTZ LEAVES NETANYAHU’S EMERGENCY GOVERNMENT
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in the West Bank in August 2023. (Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO)/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
“We are committed to the diplomatic process, however Hezbollah’s aggression is bringing us closer to a critical point in making decisions about our military activities in Lebanon,” he told Biden’s representative.
NETANYAHU CRITICIZES MILITARY PLANS FOR DAILY 11-HOUR BREAKS IN COMBAT
Hochstein subsequently met with both Netanyahu and Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Both Israeli figures thanked Hochstein for meeting them, but made no promises about a war in Lebanon.
Israel did not offer details about its talks.
President Biden’s top adviser, Amos Hochstein (R), went to Israel to meet with senior officials there, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
As the war in Gaza continues, Israeli sources have highlighted the threat posed by Hezbollah compared to Hamas. The Gaza Strip terrorist group is relatively under-resourced and has been largely dismantled by the IDF since the October 7 massacre in Israel.
Hezbollah, however, is much better equipped and has more manpower. Their rocket and drone attacks have already forced more than 100,000 Israelis to evacuate their homes in northern Israel.
“Hezbollah is the crown jewel of the Iranian empire of terror and evil and is by far the most powerful Iranian proxy, equipped with nation-state capabilities and even more firepower than several European countries have today,” former IDF spokesman Jonathan Conricus told Fox News.
“In a military comparison, Hezbollah is much more powerful than Hamas,” he added.
Firefighters in the Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona battle fires caused by Hezbollah rockets and drones on June 3, 2024. More than 30 teams worked throughout the night to control wildfires in the Galilee and the Golan. (Photo by Erez Ben Simon/TPS-IL)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Netanyahu has threatened war with Hezbollah for months, but there has yet to be a clear escalation. A steady stream of Israeli airstrikes has eliminated several senior Hezbollah commanders, and Hezbollah has maintained its barrage of missiles and rockets.
Source link
