Israel Focuses on Hezbollah Amid Growing War Tensions

Israel’s Security Cabinet has updated its war objectives to include the safe return of 60,000 northern residents evacuated from their homes due to ongoing Hezbollah attacks. During an overnight meeting, the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed this shift in strategy, vowing that “Israel will continue to act to achieve this goal.”

Hezbollah’s relentless rocket and drone attacks since October have forced thousands of Israelis living near the Lebanon border to evacuate. The terror group’s leaders have declared that their attacks will persist to prevent Israeli citizens from returning to the area. So far, these strikes have resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians and 20 soldiers.

According to figures released by Israel’s Shin Bet, Hezbollah fired an average of 40 rockets daily in August, amounting to 1,307 total rockets that month alone. Since October 8, the group has launched more than 6,700 rockets and drones targeting northern Israel.

Israeli officials have long demanded Hezbollah’s disarmament and removal from southern Lebanon, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which was enacted to end the 2006 Second Lebanon War. This latest update from Israel’s Security Cabinet signals an intensifying focus on Hezbollah as the country’s northern residents remain displaced.

In addition to targeting Hezbollah, Israel’s official war goals include eradicating Hamas’s military and governing structures, securing the release of hostages, and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel. The October 7 Hamas attack killed over 1,200 people, with 252 Israelis and foreigners taken hostage. Of the 97 hostages still held, over 30 are confirmed dead.

The updated war goals reflect Israel’s determination to resolve both the northern and southern threats, as the country continues to defend its borders and citizens from the ongoing conflict.

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