Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told US envoy Amos Hochstein on Thursday that there must be a “new reality” in the northern arena that will allow Israelis living in the region to return home.
Gallant, who met with Hochstein at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tel Aviv, was joined by IDF Chief of Staff Lt.Gen. Herzi Halevi, Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Herzog, and senior defense officials in briefing the US Special Coordinator on the security situation on Israel’s northern border, and the conditions required by the defense establishment to facilitate the secure return of Israel’s northern communities to their homes in the region.
The defense minister emphasized the determination of Israel’s defense establishment to change the security reality in northern Israel and along the border with Lebanon, and the top priority of enabling more than 80,000 displaced Israelis to return to their homes.
“There is only one possible result: a new reality in the northern arena, which will enable the secure return of our citizens,” Gallant said.
“Yet we find ourselves at a junction; there is a short window of time for diplomatic understandings, which we prefer. We will not tolerate the threats posed by the Iranian proxy, Hezbollah and we will ensure the security of our citizens.”
The defense minister expressed his appreciation for Hochstein’s work in the region and his reflection of the United States’ and President Joe Biden’s commitment to the security of the State of Israel.
Israel has repeatedly said Lebanon’s Iranian proxy, Hezbollah, must move out of southern Lebanon and north of the Litani River in accordance with the 2006 Second Lebanon ceasefire agreement that was enshrined in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.
Hezbollah did not keep its end of that agreement, however, and instead further honeycombed its terrorist infrastructure both above and below ground throughout southern Lebanon. Last year the terror group also established some 29 military outposts and bases along the border with Israel as well.
On October 8th, the day after Hamas invaded southern Israel, torturing and slaughtering more than 1,200 people and kidnapped 250 others who were dragged into Gaza captivity, Hezbollah launched its own attacks on northern Israel in solidarity with its fellow Iranian proxy. Hezbollah has since attacked northern Israel multiple times daily, forcing some 80,000 Israeli residents of the area to evacuate their homes.
At least 19 Israelis — civilians and soldiers — have died since Oct. 7 in Hezbollah attacks.
This Wednesday night, barely ninety minutes after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah concluded an address that included references to Tuesday’s assassination of Hamas No. 2 Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut, an air strike destroyed a house in Naqoura, on the Mediterranean shore in southern Lebanon, killing Nasrallah’s deputy Hussein Yazbek and three underlings.
The attack brought the Lebanese death toll at about 170, including 124 Hezbollah fighters, since Oct. 7.
