Iran, the main sponsor of Hezbollah, threatened Israel that if it launches a large-scale attack in Lebanon – “a war of extermination will develop”.
Iran shows that it does not believe that Israel really intends to attack Lebanon, the X account of the Iranian delegation to the UN states that Tehran considers the Israeli “propaganda” about the intention to attack Lebanon to be “psychological warfare”, but in Iran they threaten that if it nevertheless comes to fruition – All options, including the full involvement of all resistance fronts (the militias and the Houthis, for example), are on the table.”
Prior to these threats, Defense Minister Yoav Galant made it clear that Israel is looking for a settlement in the north if this is possible – and not for a full-scale war against Hezbollah.
The exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah continues without a break, but each side is careful not to use its capabilities in order not to lead to an all-out war.
The “Politico” website reported that American intelligence estimates that a large-scale conflict could break out between Israel and Hezbollah in the coming weeks, if a cease-fire agreement with Hamas is not reached. According to the report, the Biden administration is trying to convince both sides to reduce tensions, but American officials do not believe that the agreement between Israel and Hamas, which is on the table, will mature.
Both Israel and Hezbollah, according to two senior American officials briefed on Washington’s intelligence, have already prepared battle plans and are working to obtain additional weapons. Another senior official who spoke to “Politico” warned: “The risk is higher than at any other point in recent weeks.” Europe was even less careful – and various countries ordered their citizens to leave Lebanon for fear of war.
The heads of the settlements in the north, the main victims of the war, are calling on the Israeli government to take a more decisive action that will allow dozens of Israelis who were evacuated from the northern settlements, due to the shooting, to return to their homes, especially before the start of the school year that begins in September.
In the Lebanese government and among its citizens, the pressure is on Hezbollah to avoid a war against Israel – the Lebanese claim that the war is Gaza’s and Iran’s and not theirs and that they have no interest in a war with Israel.
As far as Israel is concerned, as soon as the shooting stops from Hezbollah’s side, it will also stop from Israel’s side.
Defense Minister of Israel Galant,
He conveyed a message of trying to reach a settlement, if possible, at the expense of opening a full front in southern Lebanon. On a tour of the northern border, he told the men and women fighters: “We are not looking for war, but we are ready for it. And we will reach a junction, it will be a T-junction for both the enemy and us. If he chooses to go to war, we will know what to do, if he chooses to go to peace, we will We will respond to this matter.”
The Minister of Defense, who visited one of the intelligence bases in the region, said: “In my talks in the US, I touched on the possibility that is called a political option – a solution to reach an orderly process. And I tell you, after long hours of conversations with all the senior officials of the American government – the thing that gives us the flexibility to be able to discuss political solutions is that we have military solutions. That is, if you have an alternative, there is someone who talks to you.”
According to him, “Our alternatives are significant and we are cultivating both – preparing the military force – defense, attack and it can happen quickly. On the other hand, we are preparing the political alternative, it is always better, we are not looking for war but we are ready for it. If he chooses to go to war We will know what to do, if he chooses to go to the series we will respond to this matter, and I hope that this is where things will come to, but you never know.”
He added: “I know it is not easy – not easy for you and not easy for the residents of the north. There is one thing I can tell you and that is that it is much more difficult for Hezbollah and Lebanon – it is easy to speak from the bunker and make statements. At the end of the day, there are over 450 terrorists killed there – the territory hit at a very severe level, and therefore this burden is placed on the enemy in a much greater way than on us.”
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said at the Defense Cabinet meeting: “If we reach an agreement that will allow the return of the residents to the north, then an agreement can be reached, but this includes the return of the residents to the north – only with all the conditions that will allow for this.”
