AiBotA senior Israeli military source has informed Channel 12 that tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese group, are likely to persist even in the event of a ceasefire with Iran.
The assessment comes at a time when Israel’s defense establishment is increasingly concerned about the threat posed by both Hezbollah and Syria, with which it is also engaged in a low-level conflict.
According to Channel 12’s sources, military brass believe that any temporary halt in hostilities with Iran would in no way diminish the threat that Hezbollah poses to Israel’s national security.
A ceasefire with Iran would be seen as a respite from the current heightened state of regional tensions but it would not mark the end of the Israeli-Hezbollah confrontation, the sources said.
Tensions with Hezbollah have been simmering for months, following a flare-up along the Israel-Lebanon border in October, which was triggered by a rare operation by the Israeli military.
In that operation, which involved a series of airstrikes on Iranian military targets and Hezbollah installations in Lebanon, the Israeli Air Force reportedly destroyed advanced Iranian drones bound for Beirut as well as Iranian missiles and rocket-production equipment.
Following the October operation, Hezbollah, whose leadership is beholden to Iran, has been threatening to retaliate against Israel with a massive counterstrike that would likely draw in its Syrian allies.
This has heightened concerns in Israel about the potential for a regional war, with officials warning that even in the case of a temporary ceasefire with Iran, the likelihood of a Hezbollah response would remain.
The Israeli defense establishment is preparing for the possibility of war with both Iran and Hezbollah, a prospect that, officials admit, would exact a high price on the country’s economy and population.
However, officials also say that the military’s preparations have been accelerated in light of the increased threat perception from Hezbollah and other regional powers, including Iran, whose presence in the region has become increasingly menacing.
As a result, Israeli military commanders and strategists are exploring multiple plans to tackle Hezbollah’s military capabilities, should war break out.
Among the plans being considered are more aggressive targeting of Hezbollah strongpoints and command centers, as well as a widening ground assault aimed at securing key strategic areas in southern Lebanon.
Military sources emphasize that the primary objective would remain the neutralization of Hezbollah’s rocket-production capabilities and infrastructure in Lebanon.
Israel has consistently emphasized its determination to thwart any further attempts by Iran or Iran-backed groups, such as Hezbollah, to further entrench themselves in the region and pose a growing threat to Israeli security.
With tensions persisting and no clear end to the ongoing standoff in sight, the conflict in the region remains poised to escalate at any moment.