Two Israeli Officials Say Military Focus Should Shift from Gaza to Lebanon and Iran; 'We Are Late in This Matter'

Two Israeli officials say it is now time to shift military focus from Gaza towards Lebanon and Iran. Benny Gantz, a former cabinet member for war, states that Israel should redirect its attention to Hezbollah and the Lebanese border, warning that 'we are late in this matter.' Nassim Watouri, a Likud representative and member of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, claims that there are only 'a few days' left until a full-scale war between Israel and Lebanon begins. According to the Times of Israel, Gantz, speaking in Washington at a Middle East conference, said, 'We have enough force to deal with Gaza and must focus on what is happening in the north.' He also identified the Iranian government and its proxy forces as the 'main issue.' This former cabinet member, who resigned from the cabinet a few months ago, added that the time for an attack from the northern borders 'has come, and in fact, I think we are late in this matter.' Gantz also stated that Israel made a mistake by evacuating much of the northern part of the country after the intensification of conflicts with Hezbollah. He said, 'In Gaza, we have crossed a decisive point in the campaign. We can do whatever we want in Gaza. We must strive to reach an agreement for the release of our hostages, but if this is not possible in the coming days or weeks, we must move north.' Gantz further stated, 'We are capable of attacking Lebanon if necessary.' He added, 'The Hamas story is old' and noted that 'the main issue is the [Iranian] government and its proxy forces in the region and the actions they are trying to undertake.' In another report, Nassim Watouri, a member of the ruling party of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told the public Kan network that when this war begins, the Dahiyeh area in Beirut, which is Hezbollah's main base, will 'become like Gaza.' Watouri threatened that 'there is no other way' and added that Netanyahu agrees with him and 'this is what will happen in the coming days.' He said that Netanyahu informed military officials on Sunday, telling them, 'We must end this situation.' Watouri described his war plan as starting with a large preemptive strike similar to a recent operation that thwarted a major planned missile attack by Hezbollah on central Israel, but this attack would last at least 4 to 5 days, followed by a ground assault. Concurrently with the statements of these Israeli officials, Major General Salami threatened Israel on September 9 with a 'bitter taste of revenge' for the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, in Tehran. He claimed that 'the method of this revenge will definitely be different and this puzzle will be solved for everyone in time.' He warned Israel not to think they 'hit and ran' and claimed, 'They will definitely be hit and cannot escape.' Hezbollah, one of the Islamic Republic's proxy groups, conducted a rocket attack on northern Israel on July 27, killing 12 children and teenagers. In response, Israel targeted Foad Shukr, Hezbollah's highest-ranking military commander, in a deadly attack in Beirut on August 1. Just hours later, on the morning of August 2, Ismail Haniyeh, the then-head of Hamas's political bureau, was also targeted in a deadly attack in Tehran, which Iranian officials attribute to Israel despite a position of 'neither confirming nor denying.' The Iranian government and Hezbollah have warned that they will not leave these deadly attacks unanswered. Israeli officials have also promised that anyone who attacks this country will pay a heavy price. The expansion of regional conflicts to southern Lebanon comes as ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, which is supported by the Islamic Republic, have reached a deadlock, with both sides blaming each other for the failure of negotiations mediated by Egypt, the United States, and Qatar. Benny Gantz, leader of the National Unity Party, announced that he told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that 'the world must support increased military pressure on Hamas in Gaza, as it seems the hostage agreement has stalled.' Gantz stated in a statement following this meeting, 'After months of Hamas not accepting the framework of an agreement, we expect the world to support Israel in increasing military and civilian pressure in Gaza.' Meanwhile, the U.S. intends to present a new proposal to the conflicting parties, but given the deep divisions, there is no bright prospect for negotiations. William Burns, the head of the CIA and the U.S. chief negotiator, said during a political event in London that a more complete proposal from the U.S. to end the war in Gaza will be presented soon. Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, said on Thursday that both Israel and Hamas, which managed Gaza before the war and is responsible for the massacre of Jews in the October 7 attack on Israel, must make concessions to reach an agreement. A Jordanian driver killed three Israelis; Netanyahu pointed the finger at the Islamic Republic. The number of casualties and injuries is increasing in 'Israeli airstrikes' on the presence of Islamic Republic proxies in Syria. The Israeli Foreign Minister threatened the Palestinian Authority with 'dissolution.'