As many Lebanese live in a state of anticipation and anxiety over the potential expansion of the war with Israel, especially after Hezbollah confirmed that its retaliatory response to the killing of its senior leader, Fouad Shukr, at the end of last month is imminent, some Israeli military voices are increasingly calling for a swift attack in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military's northern command has begun pushing for a "more aggressive" approach against Hezbollah, according to current and former Israeli officials.
A senior Israeli security official stated that "any disproportionate response from Hezbollah could lead to an Israeli attack that creates a new reality on the Israeli northern border," as reported by the New York Times. In turn, former intelligence official and head of the Mind Israel consultancy on national security, Amos Yadlin, argued that Israel should wait until after Hezbollah's attack and retaliation for Shukr's killing to have the necessary justification for a rapid and powerful campaign that could cripple the Iran-backed group within days or weeks, with U.S. support.
He also considered that "with the majority of Hamas's capabilities destroyed, it is time to move to the Israeli-Lebanese border," according to his claims. This analysis aligns with some voices within the Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu. Minister of National Security, far-right Itamar Ben Gvir, has repeatedly called for strikes against Hezbollah and an invasion of southern Lebanon, as have some members of Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party.
Israeli Education Minister and Netanyahu coalition member, Yoav Kish, indicated in a radio interview last Sunday that he sees "no way to bring residents back to northern Israel without a strong war against Hezbollah inside Lebanon." Even some centrist Israeli politicians, like National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz, have called for strikes on Lebanese infrastructure, an offensive move likely to lead to a broader war.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has long been considered inevitable, with many security analysts stating that its outbreak is merely a matter of timing. However, some believe that Hezbollah's response at this moment could provide Tel Aviv with the justification it needs to hit back hard enough to deter its attacks for many years to come. These analyses come as Netanyahu's government faces immense pressure to return over 60,000 Israelis who have fled northern Israel due to Hezbollah’s near-daily attacks since October 7.