Israel Army Prepares for "Decisive Offensive" Against Hezbollah

_{Photo: AFP}

Jerusalem: An Israeli military commander stated on Friday that troops in the country's north were preparing for "a decisive offensive" against Lebanon's Hezbollah after months of deadly cross-border exchanges. Israeli forces have engaged in near-daily fire with Hamas ally Hezbollah since the Palestinian group's October 7 attack on southern Israel initiated the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

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Major General Ori Gordin, Israel's commanding officer in the north, informed troops that "we have already eliminated more than 500 terrorists in Lebanon, the great majority of them from Hezbollah," according to an army statement.

An AFP tally indicates that over nine months of violence have resulted in at least 523 deaths in Lebanon. Among them, 342 have been confirmed as Hezbollah operatives, while the tally also includes 104 civilians. Gordin did not mention civilian casualties.

In northern Israel, the military reports that at least 18 Israeli soldiers and 13 civilians have been killed.

The exchanges of fire have largely been confined to the border areas, displacing tens of thousands of Lebanese and Israeli residents. The Israeli military has "destroyed thousands" of targets across the border, Gordin said. The statement noted that troops were now preparing "for the transition to offense."

"When the moment comes and we go on the offensive, it will be a decisive offensive," Gordin added. Iran-backed Hezbollah claims it is acting in support of Hamas with its attacks on Israel since October 8. The escalating violence and unsuccessful mediation efforts have raised fears of an all-out conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which last went to war in 2006. Israel has demanded that parts of southern Lebanon be cleared of Hezbollah operatives in accordance with a UN Security Council resolution that ended the 2006 war.

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