Battle plans for Lebanon offensive approved: Israeli generals

As troops are readied for all out war, Jerusalem warns Hezbollah would be destroyed as the Iran-backed group publishes drone footage of what it says are Israeli military facilities.

The head of IDF Northern Command Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin (left) and head of the Operations Directorate Maj. Gen. Oded Basiuk (right) hold an assessment, July 18, 2024. Picture: Israel Defense Forces.

The Israeli military says it has approved battle plans for an offensive in Lebanon as Jerusalem warns Hezbollah would be destroyed in the event of a “total war”.

As Hezbollah published a more than nine-minute video showing surveillance drone footage purportedly taken over northern Israel, The Israeli Defence Forces said: “The Commanding Officer of the Northern Command, MG Ori Gordin, and the Head of the Operations Directorate, MG Oded Basiuk … held a joint situational assessment in the Northern Command. As part of the situational assessment, operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon were approved and validated.”

The generals also made decisions regarding “accelerating the readiness of the forces on the ground,” the military added.

The video, which AFP was unable to immediately verify independently, pinpointed what Hezbollah said were Israeli military, defence and energy facilities, as well as civilian and military infrastructure.

The IDF says it carried out a series of strikes in southern Lebanon today, targeting several Hezbollah operatives involved in launching drones.

The operatives were part of Hezbollah's aerial forces unit, which the military says was behind dozens of explosive-laden drone attacks…

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 18, 2024

The footage of Haifa’s coastline, 27km away from the Lebanese border, appeared to include a portion of an Israeli Navy base, as well as several warships and infrastructure said to belong to the Navy’s submarine unit, Shayetet 7, the Times of Israel reports. It also included shots of what Hezbollah said were strategic military locations including the Iron Dome and David’s Sling air defence systems.

Israel and Hezbollah have traded near-daily cross-border fire since Hamas’s October 7 attack triggered war in the Gaza Strip.

“We are very close to the moment when we will decide to change the rules of the game against Hezbollah and Lebanon,” Israel Katz said.

“In a total war, Hezbollah will be destroyed and Lebanon will be hit hard.”

The Commanding Officer of the Northern Command, MG Ori Gordin, and the Head of the Operations Directorate, MG Oded Basiuk, approved operational plans and held a joint situational assessment in the Northern Command earlier today.

As part of the situational assessment,…

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 18, 2024

The Pentagon said the US did not want to see the conflict escalate.

“I’m not going to get into hypotheticals and speculate on what might happen other than to say no one wants to see a wider regional war,” Pentagon spokesman Major General Patrick Ryder told reporters.

US envoy Amos Hochstein, on a visit to Lebanon, earlier Tuesday called for an “urgent” de-escalation of the cross-border fire between Hezbollah and Israel.

“The conflict … between Israel and Hezbollah has gone on for long enough,” the presidential envoy said on a visit to Beirut.

“It’s in everyone’s interest to resolve it quickly and diplomatically – that is both achievable and it is urgent.”

Hezbollah stepped up attacks on northern Israel last week after an Israeli strike killed one of its senior commanders.

Mr Hochstein met with Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, a key Hezbollah ally, a day after holding talks in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Speaker Berri and I had a very good discussion,” Hochstein said. “We discussed the current security and political situation in Lebanon as well as the deal on the table right now with respect to Gaza, which also provides an opportunity to end the conflict across the Blue Line,” he added, referring to the demarcation line between Israel and Lebanon.

US President Joe Biden last month outlined a truce proposal which Mr Hochstein said would ultimately lead to “the end of the conflict in Gaza”.

“A ceasefire in Gaza and, or, an alternative diplomatic solution could also bring the conflict across the Blue Line to an end” and allow the return of displaced civilians to southern Lebanon and northern Israel, the envoy added.

“This is a serious time and a critical moment,” Mr Hochstein said later after meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, calling their discussion “excellent”.

“What we are working together (to do) is to try to identify a way to get to a place where we prevent a further escalation,” he added.

Mr Mikati said “what is required is to stop the ongoing Israeli aggression against Lebanon and return to calm and stability on the southern border”.

In a statement from his office, the Prime Minister said “continued Israeli threats” will not distract Lebanon from seeking calm.

Hochstein also met with Lebanese army chief Joseph Aoun.

AFP