The Israeli Ministry of Defense said that Minister Yoav Galant discussed, in a telephone call with his American counterpart, Lloyd Austin, yesterday, Thursday, developments in the war in Gaza, the file of Israeli detainees, as well as the situation on the border with Lebanon.
Israeli Channel 13 reported that Gallant told Austin that “the goals of the war have not changed,” and that Israel is determined to continue until they are achieved.
This comes in light of internal and external pressure on Tel Aviv due to the failure to achieve the declared goals of the war – which continues for the 105th day – which is the elimination of Hamas and the return of Israeli prisoners.
Regarding the Lebanon front, Channel 13 quoted the Minister of Defense as saying that Israel is committed to returning the residents of the north to their homes and is approaching a decisive point in this regard, as he put it, in reference to tens of thousands of Israelis who were evacuated from settlements and towns near the border in light of the attacks. Lebanese Hezbollah.
Gallant told his American counterpart, “We prefer to return the population to the north through a settlement, and we are also prepared to do this through military force.”
Hezbollah entered into a confrontation with Israel following the Al-Aqsa Flood operation on October 7th and the outbreak of the Israeli war on Gaza.
Through diplomatic pressure on Beirut, Israel is trying to remove Hezbollah fighters beyond the Litani River so that it can return the Israelis to the northern settlements, and at the same time threatens to launch a massive attack on Lebanon.