According to the report, Israel plans to seize the entire area south of the Litani River and dismantle Hezbollah's military infrastructure, in what officials say would "be like Gaza."
Israel is planning a large-scale invasion of southern Lebanon in order to dismantle Hezbollah's assets south of the Litani River, Axios reported on Friday, citing Israeli and US officials. According to the report, Israeli officials are planning an operation in which the military would seize the entire area south of the Litani River and dismantle Hezbollah's military infrastructure, which would be the largest one performed in Lebanon since the 2006 war.
"We are going to do what we did in Gaza," a senior Israeli official told Axios. According to the report, the offensive was planned after Hezbollah's attack against Israel, where more than 200 rockets were fired against the country in coordination with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). "Before this attack, we were ready for a ceasefire in Lebanon, but after it, there is no way back from a massive operation," the report explained, citing senior Israeli officials.
"The goal is to take over territory, push Hezbollah's forces north and away from the border, and dismantle its military positions and weapons depots in the villages," the official said. The Axios report contradicts statements that the IDF told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday, with the military not in favor of launching a full invasion of Lebanon, despite the Hezbollah attack. (Read More)
