Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Wednesday that the focus of Israel’s military operations was shifting to the north as part of a “new phase in the war.” His comments came after Israel detonated thousands of Hezbollah pagers and walkie-talkies in Lebanon, killing dozens, including two children.
“In a conversation with the Air Force personnel at the Ramat David base, I emphasized: We are opening a new phase in the war,” Gallant wrote on X. “The center of gravity is shifting to the north through the diversion of forces and resources.”
Israel detonated the pagers in Lebanon on Tuesday after the Israeli Security Cabinet met and agreed to add the return of displaced Israelis to their homes near the border with Lebanon as one of Israel’s war goals. Before Gallant’s statement, it was announced that Israel was redeploying some troops from Gaza to the northern border with Lebanon.
Gallant said that the purpose of shifting focus to the north was to “meet our goals — the return of the residents of the north to their homes after the change in the security situation.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a short video statement on Wednesday related to the situation in the north. “I have already said we will return the residents of the north safely to their homes. And that is exactly what we will do,” Netanyahu said in the video, which came out after thousands of walkie-talkies exploded in Lebanon.
Since October 7, Israel and Hezbollah have traded fire across the border, and Israeli officials have frequently threatened escalation, raising concerns that the situation could turn into a full-blown war that could potentially involve the US and Iran.
According to a count from Al Jazeera, as of September 6, Israel has launched 7,845 attacks on Lebanon since October 7, 2023, killing 646 people. In that time, Hezbollah launched 1,768 attacks on Israel, killing 32 Israelis.
