The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation reported on Friday evening that the Israeli occupation government is considering carrying out a military operation in Lebanon to confront what it described as the “threat posed by Hezbollah,” claiming that the group has managed to reorganize its ranks during the ceasefire period.
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The official broadcaster said that discussions currently underway in Tel Aviv have moved beyond the stage of relying solely on airstrikes. It noted that the option of a ground or large-scale operation is now being discussed by decision-makers, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
The sources added that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the possibility of expanding military operations in Lebanon during his meeting this week with US President Donald Trump in Florida. However, the US side reportedly requested delaying any decision.
According to the same sources, the US administration called for allowing more time for political contacts with the Lebanese government in an effort to avoid a broader military escalation in the region.
Israeli official bodies claim that Hezbollah has been able to reorganize and restore part of its capabilities during the period of relative calm, while alleging that the Lebanese government is unable to curb the group’s activities.
Since the agreement between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect in November 2024, Tel Aviv and Washington have been pressuring the Lebanese government to limit weapons to state control. Hezbollah, for its part, rejects disarmament and calls for Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
For some time, Hebrew media outlets have reported that the Israeli army has “completed” preparations for a plan to launch a “wide-scale attack” against Hezbollah targets if the Lebanese government and army fail to fulfill their commitments to dismantle the group’s weapons by the end of 2025.
Despite the ceasefire between the two sides entering into force in late November 2024, Israel continues to carry out daily attacks on Lebanon, particularly in the south.
Israel has killed more than 4,000 people and injured around 17,000 others during its aggression against Lebanon, which began in October 2023 and escalated into a full-scale war in September 2024 before ending with a ceasefire agreement.
Israel has also violated the agreement more than 10,000 times, according to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries, in addition to maintaining its occupation of five Lebanese hills seized during the latest war, as well as other areas it has occupied for decades, according to Anadolu Agency.
