Israel on the brink of full war on northern border

The Israeli government is under increased pressure to launch a full attack on Hezbollah forces in Lebanon in response to increasing rocket barrages from the terror group in Israel’s north.

This week, Hezbollah rockets sparked mass fires which emergency services struggled to control and 12 people were wounded from a drone strike in the northern Israeli town of Hurfeish in the western Galilee.

The weekend attacks reached as far as Acre, forcing 50,000 residents into shelters. 

Israeli army chief Herzl Halevi said on Tuesday that the country is approaching "the point where a decision will have to be made," and that the IDF is ready to transition to an offensive in Lebanon.

His statements align with the position presented by the IDF in recent security discussions, which advocate for intensifying combat against Hezbollah.

The IDF has presented options for a limited-time war in southern Lebanon only, but also for a broader war, which is highly likely to open additional fronts with Iran, Houthi rebels in Yemen, and militias in Syria.

Experts have warned that escalation on the northern border would cause significant damage in Israel, as far as Tel Aviv.

"In the event that an all-out war breaks out, the Israeli front will absorb a volume of fire [that] has not ever been seen – including what was seen in 2006," researcher Tal Beeri told Maariv. 

Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, known for its close ties to Hezbollah, reported on Tuesday that Beirut had recently received diplomatic messages containing threats of an impending Israeli attack.

Sources told the newspaper that most representatives from international delegations expressed concern over the severity of the Israeli threat. However, the most significant messages came from the British side, which estimated that Israel would attack in mid-June. The British also advised Lebanon to prepare for war, the duration and scope of which remain unknown.