The new commander of the IDF’s Ground Forces says that the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah is still planning on carrying out a surprise invasion of Israel, despite its extensive network of cross-border tunnels having been destroyed by an Israeli operation late last year.
“Hezbollah still has plans to that effect,” he tells the Ynet news site. “Of course we won’t allow that to happen, we will thwart these plans.”
Maj. Gen. Yoel Strick was tapped to lead the military’s Ground Forces in February, amid increased criticism that Israeli troops were not prepared for war.
“In the next war, it would be a mistake for us to distinguish between the state of Lebanon and Hezbollah, since Hezbollah is a political actor and part of the government,” Strick says.
“If it were up to me, I would recommend declaring war on Lebanon and Hezbollah,” he adds. “I have no doubt what the outcome will be… It will be a decisive victory.”
