OAN Staff Blake Wolf
2:16 PM – Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Herzi Halevi, top commander of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), announced on Wednesday that his troops were preparing for a ground invasion in Lebanon following the back-and-forth rocket attacks that both sides have engaged in.
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A number of reservists have been reportedly called up for “operational activities in the northern arena,” according to the IDF.
Although the exact number of Israeli soldiers being called to the northern border is unknown, an Israeli news outlet reported that “at least” two reserve brigades have been mobilized.
“You hear the jets overhead. We have been striking all day. This is both to prepare the ground for your possible entry and to continue degrading Hezbollah,” Halevi told his troops. “Today, Hezbollah expanded its range of fire, and later today, they will receive a very strong response. Prepare yourselves.”
“To achieve that, we are preparing the process of a maneuver, which means your military boots, your maneuvering boots, will enter enemy territory, enter villages that Hezbollah has prepared as large military outposts,” Halevi continued.
Halevi’s update follows after Israel hit multiple Hezbollah military sites. Hezbollah then responded by launching a powerful rocket towards Tel Aviv on Wednesday, but it was intercepted by Israel’s missile defense system, along with a barrage of other missiles launched towards Israel.
The escalating tensions are also believed to be reaching a boiling point.
“We have entered a new phase of the campaign, and we must be fully prepared for maneuvering and action,” Major General Ori Gordin, head of the Northern Command, stated on Tuesday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement on X (Twitter), urging Lebanese citizens to evacuate their homes immediately as Israel prepares for an “operation,” seemingly insinuating the future plan.
“The IDF has warned you to get out of harm’s way. I urge you – take this warning seriously,” Netanyahu stated. “Once our operation is finished, you can come back safely to your homes.”
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