Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi vowed to intensify attacks on Hezbollah, saying that Israeli forces “are carefully planning the coming days.” Since the Gaza conflict began last year, Israel has eliminated over 600 militants, including dozens of Hezbollah’s top military leaders, and struck hundreds of targets in Lebanon. Halevi made these comments during a televised address from the Tel Nof Airbase, a key site for the Israeli Air Force.

“The price Hezbollah is paying is increasing, and our strikes will intensify,” Halevi said, according to Xinhua news agency. “We have many more capabilities yet to deploy, and we are in a very high state of readiness, both offensively and defensively.” Additionally, he said that an Israeli airstrike on a building in Beirut’s southern suburb on Friday had “eliminated” Hezbollah’s chain of command.

This building was struck while Hezbollah commanders were reportedly planning an attack on northern Israel, aimed at killing civilians and kidnapping soldiers. “We will ensure the safety of those (displaced Israelis) returning (to their homes along the border), and if Hezbollah hasn’t understood this yet, they will continue to face blow after blow until they do,” he warned.

Tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border have surged sharply following explosions from communication devices across Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday, which resulted in 37 fatalities and left 2,931 injured, in addition to an Israeli airstrike on Friday targeting a building in the Jamous area of southern Beirut, causing 45 deaths and injuring dozens more.

Since October 8, 2023, the Israeli army and Hezbollah, which maintains strong ties to Hamas in the Gaza Strip, have been exchanging fire across the border, raising concerns that the nearly year-long confrontations could escalate into a full-scale war.