Report: Israel Moving Resources from Gaza to Prepare for Northern War

July 16, 2024

by: Ynetnews

Tuesday, 16 July 2024 | Israel was planning to move resources from the fighting in Gaza to the northern borders in preparation for a possible war with Hezbollah, Israeli officials said in conversations with their American counterparts, according to CNN.

Administration officials told the network that they were concerned that Israel’s aerial defenses may not be able to withstand the terror group’s massive arsenal of weapons and drones. “We assess that at least some” Iron Dome batteries “will be overwhelmed,” a senior administration official said.

The threat to Israel’s home front in case of a war is considerable. Israel estimates Hezbollah has 150,000 rockets and missiles in its arsenal, including a stockpile of some 1,500 precision munitions, able to reach deep inside the country with precision capabilities.

But the Israelis have said that they would be able to fight the Iran-backed terror group, especially after they complete their offensive on Rafah. They said they could “pull off a “‘blitzkrieg,’” but the US is warning them that they may not be able to ensure that it remains a limited campaign,” the official told CNN.

CNN quoted a senior source who said that it was a miracle that the US had been able to prevent a war between Israel and Hezbollah thus far. “We’re entering a very dangerous period. Something could start with little warning.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken told leaders in the Middle East recently that Israel appeared set on going into Lebanon to push Hezbollah some 10 kilometers [6.2 mi.] from the border and create a security zone that would allow the tens our thousands of residents of the north, displaced since the war broke out in October, to return home.

Biden sent his special Mideast envoy Amos Hochstein to the region to mediate a diplomatic solution to prevent war. However, the tensions and cross-border attacks have continued and even escalated.

On Wednesday, Nasrallah threatened to invade the Galilee if Israel attacked Lebanon. Israeli military and political leaders have said that Hezbollah’s increasing attacks on Israel’s north could result in Lebanon suffering similar destruction to that seen in Gaza. Officials in Jerusalem said the countdown to the war has begun and would only stop if Hezbollah agreed to the terms of a diplomatic agreement that would remove them from the border area.

Posted on July 16, 2024

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on June 20, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

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