On Tuesday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned Hezbollah and the Lebanese government that Israel is ready to attack every meter of the Shiite party’s assets and other war-related possessions should they come under attack.
Speaking after a meeting with senior army officials at Mount Dov, Gallant warned that Israel wouldn’t hesitate to “return Lebanon to the stone age” should Israel be attacked.
He said Hezbollah and Lebanese officials “might mistakenly” think that they can test Israel more now because of the army’s crisis, in which 10,000 reservists have said they are quitting to protest the government’s judicial reform.
“Do not make a mistake; we do not want war, but we are ready to defend our citizens, our soldiers, and our sovereignty,” he said, adding: “You should understand that Israel would remain united in the event that it was threatened with war by a group like Hezbollah,” he assured.
“Provocative” activities
The Israeli defense minister argued that it was crucial for the army to speed up the construction of a fence and obstacles around it to reinforce Israel’s border with Lebanon and make it more defensible.
Gallant’s warning came in the aftermath of Hezbollah’s “provocative” activities along the volatile Blue Line in southern Lebanon earlier in July, after which Israel warned that it may lead to a military confrontation that neither side desires.
Also in July, Amos Hochstein, the Special Envoy of US President Joe Biden, paid an unannounced visit to Israel, during which he held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Discussions tackled the issue of the tents set up by Hezbollah in Chebaa, on land claimed by Israel, and the normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia.
