IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir on Wednesday ordered significant reinforcements to the North, indicating that Ground Forces involvement in Lebanon might escalate. He instructed the IDF to reinforce Northern Command and redeploy the Golani Brigade from operations in Gaza to the North, the IDF said. Despite ramping up operations on the northern border, Home Front Command Chief Maj.-Gen. Shai Klepper told citizens on Wednesday evening that there would be no changes to the civilian security guidelines, adding that the guidelines would be re-evaluated over the weekend.
"I know that with the renewal of fighting on the northern front, feelings of discomfort and uncertainty have resurfaced," Klepper said. "At the same time, I want to say that the IDF is beyond the border, defending the residents of the north and operating to directly and significantly weaken Hezbollah." The Golani Brigade is the IDF’s foremost large-scale offensive invasion force. It is usually not brought into a new sector just to carry out guard duty.
The IDF has already sent the 36th and 91st Divisions deeper into southern Lebanon than the original plans dictated. So far, the 146th and 210th Divisions have not advanced as deeply, but they also have expanded operations in southern Lebanon beyond the five outposts that Israel has maintained near the border since the November 2024 ceasefire with Hezbollah. In the coming days, the IDF is expected to approach 1,000 attacks in Lebanon, including dozens of major airstrikes in the Beirut neighborhood of Dahiyeh, Hezbollah’s stronghold. (Read More)
