‘We'll return northern residents home – and will hit Hezbollah until it understands this,’ IDF chief vows

Amid intense fire exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah, the chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi vowed that Israel would continue to attack the Lebanese terror group until it reaches the goal of enabling the safe return of northern Israel’s residents to their homes.

His statements again underlined the apparent change of strategy on the northern front Israel’s leadership adopted last week. Since then, the IDF has initiated most of the fire exchanges and destroyed hundreds of rocket launchers in Lebanon.

Speaking from the IDF’s Tel Nof Airbase on Sunday evening, Halevi said Hezbollah was “shaken” by the Israeli strike that took out almost all of its Radwan Unit’s command structure in Beirut.

“These commanders have been planning the occupation of the Galilee for years, they are responsible for the killing of many Israeli citizens, including soldiers over the years. They were planning to carry out the next attack… we preempted them.”

The severe blow to Hezbollah also sent the message to the broader region that Israel can reach anyone of its enemies, the general said.

“Since the start of the war, we have been attacking and destroying the capabilities and infrastructure of this force in various ways and tricks, initiating and working non-stop. From the beginning of the war, the IDF systematically attacked Hezbollah - day after day.”

“We will safely return the residents to their homes, and if Hezbollah has not understood this yet, it will receive another blow and another blow - until this organization understands,” Halevi emphasized.

Possibly hinting at the two waves of communication device explosions that rocked Lebanon last week, the IDF chief threatened: “We have… many more capabilities that we have not yet activated, and we are at a very high level of readiness both in attack and defense.”

No country could allow the threat posed by Hezbollah to continue, Halevi said, stressing that the terror group has been targeting Israeli civilians while, at the same time, endangering Lebanese citizens by placing its rocket launchers in populated areas.

“To the residents of the rear: You need to continue to act responsibly as you did throughout the war, as many did this morning in the north with the barrages that were fired into the north of the country,” Halevi said after the terror group fired some 130 rockets at Israel throughout Sunday.

Despite Hezbollah targeting areas deep within Israeli territory with heavy barrages, and directly hitting several homes, only a few people were wounded as most citizens followed instructions from the IDF’s Home Front Command and entered their safety shelters in time.

Turning to the residents of northern Israel, Halevi said: “I remember very well that you have not been in your homes for almost a year, I want you to know - the IDF is working around the clock, with many forces, to return you to your homes safely.”

“We will not compromise on your safety, that of your families, and that of your children,” he pledged.