‘We’re ready’: Israel set for offensive on Lebanon border

IDF chief says forces are ready for an offensive on the Lebanon border, Security Minister demands ‘destroy Hezbollah’ amid speculation of an all-out war.

Israeli military Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi says the IDF is prepared for an offensive on the Lebanon border. Picture: AFP.

Israel is preparing for an offensive along the northern border with Lebanon and is nearing a decision on the move, the country’s military chief has announced amid speculation Jerusalem will move to an all out war with Hezbollah.

Israel Defence Forces Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said in a recorded statement the IDF was ready to move to an offensive in the north against the Iran backed organisation, according to Reuters and Israel media.

“We are prepared after a very good process of training up to the level of a General Staff exercise to move to an offensive in the north,” he said in a recorded statement. “We are approaching a decision point.”

During a visit to an army base at Kiryat Shmona, a town near the Lebanese border that has been largely evacuated after intensifying attacks, he added: “We have been attacking for eight months, and Hezbollah is paying a very, very high price.

“[We have] strong defence, readiness to attack, [and] we are approaching a decision point,” he said.

The Israeli war cabinet met Tuesday night local time to discuss the latest developments along the border with Lebanon as conflict between Hezbollah and Israel intensifies, while Iran’s acting foreign minister Ali Bagheri met with Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.

The two men “reviewed the latest regional political and security developments, especially on the Gaza and Lebanon fronts, and the proposed solutions,” a Hezbollah statement said.

Halevi spoke after meeting with firefighters working to extinguish large blazes across northern Israel ignited by munitions fired from Lebanon

As tensions ratchet up, Israel Security Minister Ben Gvir demanded stronger military action against Lebanon, saying: “The IDF’s job is to destroy Hezbollah.”

After visiting firefighters at Kiryat Shmona, Mr Ben Gvir said it was unacceptable that “our land is under fire and we are being hurt, that people here are evacuating,” while there is “quiet in Lebanon.”

“They’re burning [us] here. All Hezbollah strongholds should be burned, they should be destroyed. War!” he said.

Fires burn as a result of rockets launched from Lebanon into northern Israel, next to the city of Kiryat Shmona near the Lebanon border. Picture: AFP.

And war cabinet member Benny Gantz said hostilities on the Lebanon border would be dealt with by September, either by diplomacy or military action.

“By September 1, we’ll be done here and will be able to deal with something new. It will pass either by arrangement or escalation, but we can’t lose another year,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese news outlet al-Akhbar reported that Britain has warned Beirut Israel will launch a large-scale offensive in mid-June and advised Beirut to “make the necessary provisions for the war.”

Hezbollah’s deputy head Naim Qassem told Al Jazeera the group did not to intend to extend its current conflict with Israel, but would fight if a full-scale war was imposed on it.

It comes as dozens of Israel firefighting teams worked through the night before the largest fires were brought under control in the morning as they threatened Kiryat Shmona.

Extreme heat that has gripped the region in recent days had already raised the risk of brush fires, made worse by daily barrages of rockets and drone strikes that have rained down incendiary material.

An AFP photographer in the northern town saw fierce fires engulfing parts of the border area.

On Sunday, a brush fire in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights burned around 10 square kilometres of land after a rocket fired from Lebanon struck near the town of Katzrin.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) also reported fires in Alma al-Shaab and Dhayra, two villages near the border with Israel. It said the fires were caused by “Israeli phosphorus incendiary shells”.

The Israeli army said it had deployed reinforcements to support firefighters overwhelmed by the scale of the blazes.

“Six … reservist soldiers were lightly injured as a result of smoke inhalation and transferred to a hospital to receive medical treatment,” the army said.

“The forces gained control over the locations of fire, and at this stage, no human life is at risk,” it added.

Officers of the army’s Northern Command had arrived in Kiryat Shmona during the night and the army was “conducting a situational assessment” in the sector.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it was closely monitoring the fires.

Government spokesman David Mencer said that attacks by Hezbollah “have caused significant fires”.

In some areas of northern Israel firefighters had been battling “fire for almost 24 hours in extreme weather conditions while striving to reach out and save lives, and prevent damage to property,” Mencer told journalists.

“This is not a sustainable reality.”

In retaliation, Israel’s military announced it had carried out air strikes against what it said were Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.

With AFP, Reuters