Israel "fully prepared for maneuvers" against Hezbollah in Lebanon as deaths from airstrikes top 600
CBSN
Israel's military hinted for the first time Wednesday of possible ground operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, with a top commander stressing the need to be ready for "maneuvers and action" against the Iran-backed group. This comes after more than a week of airstrikes that Lebanese officials say have killed more than 600 people and displaced thousands.
The U.S. has urged Israel to focus on diplomacy rather than escalating its fight with Hezbollah, with concern growing that a full-scale war between the longtime foes could mushroom into a wider conflict that puts American forces in the Middle East at greater risk and destabilizes the volatile region.
"We have entered a new phase of the campaign," Major General Ori Gordin, the Israel Defense Forces commander for the north of the country, said Tuesday, according to a statement released Wednesday by the IDF. Crossfire between the IDF and Hezbollah across Israel's northern border with Lebanon has ramped up since the U.S.-designated terrorist group's Hamas allies launched their Oct. 7 massacre, sparking the ongoing war in Hamas-ruled Gaza.
