Israeli Defense Minister: 'What We Can Do in Gaza, We Can Also Do in Beirut'

It’s not the first time we’ve heard this report. Hezbollah’s increased attacks in northern Israel in the wake of the Israeli war with Hamas is making another front likely once the operations in the Gaza Strip have concluded. The terror group’s increased activity in northern Israel has led to a score of Israelis fleeing to the south.

With the October 7 attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a mandate to execute all military operations to enhance the security of the Jewish state from radical Islamic terrorists. From the lefty Labor voter to the Likud supporter, they are in lockstep behind any military operations.

As Israel debates creating buffer zones in Gaza and Southern Lebanon, the twin threats of Hamas and Hezbollah have already created buffer zones *inside* Israel, as residents flee from north and south with their return uncertain. Our story: https://t.co/DFaGZR9gPn
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) November 6, 2023

When Israel announced they would not be leaving the Gaza Strip once they’ve either eliminated or degraded Hamas to the point of irrelevancy, handling security responsibilities in the region, talk from the IDF brass turned to Lebanon, where there is also strong support for a military incursion to remove the Hezbollah threat. CNN had a decent segment on this development last week, backed up by Alon Ben-David, senior defense correspondent for Israel’s Channel 13 news. He said top IDF brass thinks a war in Lebanon is “inevitable” (via Channel 13):

גוברת ההערכה בצה"ל: מלחמה בצפון היא בלתי נמנעת

לידיעה המלאה - https://t.co/nmoFiNlig5 @alonbd pic.twitter.com/qZ63HWilpk
— חדשות 13 (@newsisrael13) November 12, 2023

Hezbollah increased the fire on the northern border today, and after Minister Gallant said that "when the red line is crossed - you will see our planes bomb Beirut", the question is whether Israel will let Nasrallah write the script – or whether Israel will take the initiative.
Hezbollah increased the fire on the northern border today, and after Defense Minister Yoav Galant said last night that "when the red line is crossed - you will see our planes bombarding Beirut - the IDF believes that war in the north is inevitable.

The Jerusalem Post has more, with The Wall Street Journal adding that the Israeli Air Force is now increasingly more focused on Lebanon:

"Hezbollah is dragging Lebanon to a possible war, and is making mistakes," Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said at a situational assessment near the Lebanese border Saturday, adding that the Lebanese citizens would be the first to pay the price for this kind of mistake. "What we can do in Gaza, we can also do in Beirut."
In his speech, made alongside the commander of the IDF's Division 91 and other senior officers serving in the region, the defense minister stated that Hezbollah is no longer making just provocations, but aggression, following several exchanges of fire over the border throughout October and early November.
"Our pilots are sitting in their cockpits, their aircraft facing north," Gallant said, stressing that the IDF already has mobilized enough forces for its goals in the South against Hamas, and the Israel Air Force has plenty of power to spare. "We haven't even used 10% of the IAF's power in Gaza."

Given the brutality of the October 7 attacks, Israel will not cease any military operation until they feel secure, as they should.