IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot discussed the Iranian threat on Thursday and made it clear that the IDF would not hesitate to act against the Iranian establishment in Lebanon.
"If there is an Iranian military buildup in Lebanon, then Lebanon will be the target of Israeli action," Eizenkot said in an interview on Kan 11 News, which will air in full on Saturday night.
The outgoing chief of staff hinted in the interview that Israel acted secretly in Lebanon, saying, "We are not attacking Lebanon openly. But we operate in many secret and covert dimensions.”
Regarding the criticism directed at the IDF, Eizenkot said, "Anyone who says that a little more force, and a few more roadblocks, and a few more attacks, will cause the phenomenon of terrorism to disappear – does not know what he is talking about."
In another interview with Channel 10 News, which will air in full on Saturday night as well, Eizenkot addressed the criticism of his predecessor Benny Gantz’s performance during the counterterrorism Operation Protective Edge in 2014.
"I was his deputy throughout the operation, and I did not see any of the things I heard about in the media. I saw a determined, professional chief of staff. Most of the time he was commanding out in the field. He left me for many hours at the General Staff."
For the time being, Eizenkot said, he is not considering going into politics. "There's a great law called the 'Cooling-Off Law.' The cooling-off period is a great time for thinking.”
