Israel braces for Hezbollah’s response after controversial operation raises tensions

Report by Amale Chehadeh, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine

Israel has made the prospect of a full-scale war on the Lebanese border more likely following the operation to detonate Hezbollah’s pagers 

After a series of security and military meetings to assess the situation, the Israeli army and the home front began taking steps to shift the war’s focus to the north and prepare the home front for such a scenario. 

The army’s elite 98th Division, which includes the commando and paratrooper brigades, was moved from Gaza to the border with Lebanon. 

Meanwhile, the air and naval forces bolstered their readiness for a potentially unprecedented and wide-ranging response from Hezbollah.

The army continued calling up reservists after Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced the transfer of war efforts to the north, while military equipment and vehicles were also relocated from the south to the north, reflecting the serious implications that security and military officials have warned about.

Tel Aviv has ensured that it informed Washington of the operation’s details and timing, aware of the wide-ranging and dangerous repercussions it might cause. The Cabinet, which met until 2 a.m. on Monday, discussed the operation and decided to include the goal of returning northern residents to their homes as one of the objectives of the war. 

The meeting followed a report indicating that Israel had obtained intelligence suggesting Hezbollah was on the verge of uncovering the plan to detonate the devices. After extensive debate, the decision was made to carry out the strike at the last minute of the Cabinet meeting.

While decision-makers praised what they called a "sophisticated operation," viewing it as a preemptive strike that weakens Hezbollah and undermines its confidence due to the complete breach, some within Israel responded with widespread criticism.

Tel Aviv is closely awaiting a speech by Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, interpreting Hezbollah’s threats of severe retaliation that could impact civilians as a shift in the rules of engagement. 

This has caused concern among northern residents, including in Tel Aviv and the city of Haifa. Israel as a whole remains on edge, awaiting Hezbollah’s response, with security and military officials expecting it to be significant and dangerous, potentially opening the doors to a full-scale war across all fronts.