IDF ‘Approves Operational Plans for Offensive in Lebanon’

Israeli officials say Tel Aviv is preparing for an all-out war in Lebanon to destroy Hezbollah. Washington is concerned such a conflict would drag in the US, and the White House is attempting to prevent the hostilities from expanding.

On Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted a statement on its X account saying that top commanders had signed off on battle plans for an offensive in Lebanon. “The Commanding Officer of the Northern Command and the Head of the Operations Directorate approved operational plans,” the IDF wrote. “Plans for an offensive in Lebanon were approved and validated, and decisions were taken on the continuation of increasing the readiness of troops in the field.”

Following the Hamas attack on October 7, the IDF began tit-for-tat raids along the Israel-Lebanon border. As the conflict has ground on, both sides have escalated their operations, with Israel carrying out assassinations and strikes deeper inside Lebanon in recent weeks. Hezbollah has responded by launching larger missile volleys at Israel.