Defense Minister Yoav Gallant met with IDF Armoured Corps soldiers today (Monday) in the north, where spoke of the next steps to be taken following the series of assassinations and aerial attacks against Hezbollah, including the elimination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
While talking to them, he said, "the elimination of Nasrallah is an important step, but it is not the end - to return the residents of the north, we will activate all our capabilities, including you."
From the other side, regarding a possible IDF ground incursion, Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Qassem said that "and if the enemy decides to enter by land, our fighters are prepared and we will emerge victorious."
According to the Wall Street Journal, Israeli special forces have carried out small and targeted raids in southern Lebanon, gathering intelligence and probing for a possible ground invasion that could come as early as this week.
The report also indicates that the raids, which included entering Hezbollah's tunnels located along the border, took place both recently and also during the last few months, as part of Israel's broader efforts to degrade Hezbollah's capabilities along the Israel-Lebanon border.
WSJ added that the timing of any ground action could change and that Israel is under heavy pressure from the US not to carry out a major invasion. It is still unclear how long Israel will aim to hold the territory, or whether the invasion will be a series of larger raids, and not a full-scale invasion like it did during the 2006 war.
