On September 6, Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Herzi Halevi said that the IDF, alongside preemptive strikes on Hezbollah fighters and infrastructure, is actively preparing for the offensive on the Lebanese front.
"The enemy is well aware that the price of escalating the conflict could endanger its own existence. This is an existential threat, and they are not prepared to take such a risk. Hence, they seek support from the international community by escalating the situation," Hashem said.
While Israel's leadership may be ready to expand the scope of the conflict, they fear being left to fight alone without support, particularly from the United States, the lawmaker added.
Tensions on the Israel–Lebanon border have escalated since the beginning of Israel’s military operation in Gaza in October 2023. The IDF and Hezbollah fighters regularly attack each other’s positions in border regions.
According to the Lebanese Foreign Ministry, some 100,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in the south of Lebanon because of Israeli shelling. Israeli authorities have said that about 80,000 residents of northern parts of the country had to leave because of Lebanon’s attacks.