Israel expands war objectives as questions swirl over defense minister’s future

CNN

Israel has added a new objective to its ongoing war, turning its focus on the Lebanon border, as questions arise over the future of its defense minister’s position.
Across the border in Lebanon, more than 94,000 have been displaced, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health.
He added that Israel will “do what is necessary” to safeguard the region’s security and return the residents to their homes.
Hezbollah has said that it will end its attacks on Israel when Israel ends its war in Gaza.
Gallant’s fate The addition to Israel’s war aims comes amid reports in Israel that Netanyahu plans to replace Gallant with a former rival politician, Gideon Sa’ar.
Unlike Gallant, who served for decades in the Israel Defense Forces, Sa’ar is a near lifelong politician.
Reports of his potential appointment as defense minister have already caused a stir in Israel’s political and military establishment.
Tension between the prime minister and Gallant had been omnipresent in their relationship, despite a period of unity following Hamas’ October 7 attack.
“Replacing a minister of defense on the brink of a possible more intense campaign in the north, which could turn into a regional war is, in my opinion, is irresponsible security-wise,” he said in a statement.
He said the addition of the new war aim was “better late than never.”

NEGATIVE

With concerns about the future of its defense minister’s job, Israel has added a new goal to its ongoing conflict: it is now concentrating on the border with Lebanon.

Israel will continue to act to implement this objective,” the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said after the security cabinet of the nation voted on the proposal during a late-night meeting that continued into early Tuesday morning. “.

This is the first time that the official war goal of the return of residents of northern Israel has been stated, even though it has long been recognized as a political necessity.

A day after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 8, Israel and Hezbollah started hostilities, displacing over 62,000 people domestically, according to Israeli government data that was shared with CNN last month. Over 94,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, which is located across the border.

The government is under increasing pressure to take action against the threat posed by Hezbollah’s rockets from southern Lebanon as officials and citizens of northern Israel have grown more vocal about the necessity of returning home.

The inclusion of the new war objective could force Israel to refocus its military efforts on the northern front as it signals that it is running out of time to find a diplomatic solution with Hezbollah.

According to his office, Netanyahu informed US envoy Amos Hochstein in Tel Aviv earlier on Monday that the northerners’ return won’t be feasible until there is a “fundamental change in the security situation in the north.”. Israel will “do what is necessary,” he continued, to protect the security of the area and allow the people to return to their homes.

But after meeting with Hochstein, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was more explicit, stating in a post on X that the only way to permit the northerners to return is “through military action.”. “.

Axios reported, citing unidentified sources, that Hochstein advised Netanyahu against starting a wider war in Lebanon.

According to Hezbollah’s statements, Israel’s war in Gaza will cease when it concludes.

The end of Gallant.

The announcement of Israel’s increased war objectives coincides with rumors in Israel that Netanyahu intends to replace Gallant with Gideon Sa’ar, a former rival politician. Sa’ar has been a politician almost his entire life, in contrast to Gallant, who served in the Israel Defense Forces for many years. The political and military establishment in Israel is already agitated by rumors that he could be appointed as defense minister.

Despite a phase of unity after Hamas’ October 7 attack, tension had always existed between the prime minister and Gallant.

Gallant blasted the Israeli government earlier this month, calling it a “moral disgrace,” for allegedly favoring control of the Gaza-Egypt border, also known as the Philadelphi corridor, over an agreement to release hostages.

Aware that “if we continue on this path, we won’t manage to achieve the goals that we set for ourselves,” Gallant issued a warning to colleagues over the hostage situation. Gallant had become more and more isolated within Netanyahu’s cabinet. “.

He went on, “We don’t have time if we want the hostages alive.”.

There might be a backlash in Israel if Gallant was dismissed. Protests by the public were massive when Netanyahu tried to remove Gallant in March of last year because he disagreed with the government’s plan to restructure the judiciary. Ultimately, the prime minister conceded. On Monday night, large groups of people gathered in front of Sa’ar’s Tel Aviv residence to voice opposition to his proposed appointment and worries about how it might affect the hostages’ situation in Gaza.

On Tuesday, Benny Gantz, the leader of the opposition, criticized rumors that Gallant might be fired.

“I think it’s irresponsible security-wise to replace a minister of defense on the verge of a potentially more intense campaign in the north that could turn into a regional war,” he stated in a statement. “Better late than never,” he said, referring to the addition of the new war objective. “.

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