Israeli army approves plan to attack Lebanon.
The Israeli military confirmed on June 18 that operational plans for an attack in Lebanon had been "approved and validated," as Israeli forces and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement engaged in cross-border clashes.
In a statement, the Israeli military said that its senior military officials "held a general situational assessment at the Northern Command. As part of the situational assessment, operational plans for an attack in Lebanon were approved and validated."
"Decisions have been made regarding the continued enhancement of the military's combat readiness on the battlefield."
Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, and Israel have been exchanging fire almost daily since the war in Gaza was sparked by the Palestinian militant group's October 7 attack on southern Israel.
The approval decision came after Israeli Foreign Minister Katz had previously warned Hezbollah that the group would be destroyed in the event of an "all-out war" between the two sides. Katz stated: “We are very close to a decisive moment that will change the rules of the game against Hezbollah and Lebanon. In an all-out war, Hezbollah will be destroyed and Lebanon will be severely attacked.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared this month that the military is ready for a strong operation in Lebanon if necessary, while also pledging to restore security to the country's northern border.
US envoy Amos Hochstein arrived in Lebanon on June 18, a day after meeting with Israeli leaders to seek an "urgent" de-escalation at the Israel-Lebanon border.
