Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that Hezbollah is acting with caution and deterrence and does not intend to turn Beirut into Gaza. He pointed out that the northern front is currently not a priority for the army. He said, "We are at the height of the war, fierce battles are ongoing, soldiers are succeeding in their missions, and the army is advancing," claiming that "Hamas is receiving severe strikes and thousands of targets and saboteurs have been eliminated."
In a press conference, he announced that "the Israeli army has killed a leader in Hamas's missile system, and we have dropped 10,000 bombs, missiles, and shells on the Gaza Strip." Gallant revealed that "the Minister of Finance opposes transferring funds to the Palestinian Authority but it is necessary to transfer them to maintain calm in the West Bank." He continued, "The enemy has two options: either death or surrender; there is no third option for them."
Gallant affirmed, "We are defending in the north as we fight in the south, and there is a price for war. The air force in the north is well-prepared, and we do not wish for war there, but we will respond if necessary." Regarding the anticipated appearance of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah on Friday, Gallant said, "Our air forces are fully prepared. We do not wish to open that front, but if it is forced upon us, we will be ready."
He indicated that "Hezbollah does not want to turn Beirut into Gaza, and the party is currently deterred." In another context, Gallant emphasized that "we will address the issue of Houthi missiles in cooperation with Washington." He concluded, "The battle will not be short; we are making gradual advances and continuously re-evaluating our strategy."
