Israel’s Chief of Staff: Army Must Prepare to Expand Lebanon Ground Offensive

Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi (center) meets with senior officers, November 4, 2024. (Israel Army)
Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi (center) meets with senior officers, November 4, 2024. (Israel Army)
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Israel’s Chief of Staff: Army Must Prepare to Expand Lebanon Ground Offensive

Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi (center) meets with senior officers, November 4, 2024. (Israel Army)
Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi (center) meets with senior officers, November 4, 2024. (Israel Army)

The Israeli Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said on Wednesday that the military must prepare to expand the ongoing ground offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
During an assessment provided by the army, Halevi said, “Alongside the diplomatic attempt to reach agreements in Lebanon, we need to continue formulating the plans for the continuation of the fighting in Lebanon, including expanding and deepening the [ground] maneuver, and we will activate these plans as needed.”
He added that the Israeli army “continues to strike Hezbollah targets according to plan in the entire region, in southern Lebanon, the Beqaa Valley, Beirut and Syria.”
Hezbollah began firing rockets into northern Israel the day after Hamas’ surprise attack into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 ignited the war in Gaza. Hezbollah and Hamas are both allied with Iran.
For nearly a year, the conflict was mostly contained to the areas along the border between Israel and Lebanon. The conflict dramatically escalated on Sept. 23 with intense Israeli airstrikes on south and east Lebanon as well as Beirut’s southern suburbs, leaving hundreds dead and leading to the displacement of nearly 1.2 million people.

 



Trump’s Return: Jubilation in Tel Aviv, Worries in Ramallah

A Palestinian in Bureij Camp asks Trump to end war on Gaza (AFP)
A Palestinian in Bureij Camp asks Trump to end war on Gaza (AFP)
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Trump’s Return: Jubilation in Tel Aviv, Worries in Ramallah

A Palestinian in Bureij Camp asks Trump to end war on Gaza (AFP)
A Palestinian in Bureij Camp asks Trump to end war on Gaza (AFP)

The excitement among Israel’s ruling coalition leaders over Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election matches the joy of his supporters in the US.
In contrast, the rest of the world, especially the Palestinians, remains cautious and worried, waiting to see how he will act.
Their only response is hope—hope that he might end wars and shift his known “hostile” policies.
Trump sent a clear message when he declared after his win, “I will not start wars, I will end them.” Both Palestinians and Israelis took note of this, each interpreting it through their own lens.
However, both sides must wait two months for Trump to take office and even longer to see how he will approach foreign policy.
In Israel, the ruling coalition is celebrating with the expectation that Trump will offer strong military, security, and political support—not just in their conflicts with Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza, but also in their broader goals, including ending the Palestinian dream of statehood, expelling them, and annexing the West Bank, Golan Heights, and possibly parts of Lebanon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was almost the first leader to congratulate Trump, followed by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
While Israelis eagerly await Trump’s arrival, Palestinian leaders in Ramallah are worried he won’t change his previous policies.
A research paper from a London-based monitoring center for political and strategic studies highlighted that Trump’s previous decisions harmed Palestinians, including moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing it as Israel’s capital, and cutting funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
These actions helped isolate the Palestinian Authority and weaken its political demands.
The paper expressed concerns that Trump might continue or intensify these policies, such as reducing international support for Palestinians or backing more settlement expansion.
For Palestinians, this could worsen political, economic, and humanitarian challenges.
Trump is also known for his strong stance against resistance factions.
After the death of Hamas leader Yehya Sinwar, Trump called it a crucial step toward regional stability.
For now, Palestinians are left waiting.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas congratulated Trump, saying he looks forward to working with him for peace and security in the region.