Will send back to the Stone Age: Israel warns Lebanon amid troop redeployment
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Israel has issued a stark warning to Lebanon, indicating it could revert the country "back to the Stone Age" as it prepares to shift thousands of troops from Gaza to its northern border. This move is fuelled by rising concerns of a possible conflict with Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group based in Lebanon.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, during his recent visit to Washington to meet with U.S. officials, emphasized that while Israel seeks to avoid a war with Hezbollah, it possesses the capability to devastate Lebanon if necessary. This statement comes amidst an intensifying exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah, which has escalated over recent weeks.
Gallant's warning follows a similar statement from Benny Gantz, the former Israeli army chief and a recent member of Israel's war cabinet. Gantz asserted that Israel could severely cripple Lebanon and dismantle Hezbollah's power within days.
The backdrop to these threats is Israel's ongoing offensive against Hamas in Gaza, triggered by a deadly attack on Israeli soil by the militant group on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of 250 others.
In response, Israel has launched a vigorous campaign against Hamas, resulting in over 37,700 Palestinian casualties, according to Gaza's health ministry. The conflict has also spread to Israel's northern border with Lebanon, where Hezbollah, allied with Hamas, has vowed to continue its fight against Israel until the war in Gaza ends.
The war has led to the deaths of at least 481 people in Lebanon, including 94 civilians, as reported by AFP, while Israel has suffered the loss of 15 soldiers and 11 civilians.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that Israeli military forces will soon be redeployed from Gaza to bolster the northern border with Lebanon. He clarified that this transfer is primarily for defensive purposes, although the region remains highly volatile.
The recent unified stance among Israel's political leaders, including Gallant, Gantz, and Netanyahu, marks a significant moment of consensus. This unity comes despite internal political strife, with Gantz and secondary war cabinet member Gadi Eisenkot recently resigning over Netanyahu's lack of a long-term strategy for the Gaza conflict.
Gallant's discussions in Washington also touched upon Israel's post-war governance plans for Gaza. He outlined a vision involving local Palestinian leadership, regional partners, and the U.S., acknowledging the complexity and length of this process.
However, humanitarian organizations have raised alarms about the dire situation in Gaza, where shortages of medical and food supplies threaten countless lives as border crossings remain closed.
