Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated that Israel does not wish to engage in a full-scale war with Hezbollah, but is committed to ensuring the safety of tens of thousands of displaced Israelis to return to their homes.
In an interview on the American CBS program “Face the Nation” on Sunday, Herzog expressed that Israel does not desire war, but will do everything to defend itself if attacked.
When asked if Israel was trying to escalate the conflict into a broader war, Herzog assured host Margaret Brennan that they have no intention to escalate the situation. He emphasized that Israel does not wish for war to break out.
“This war was initiated by the proxies of the evil Iranian Empire against us. Hamas attacked us on October 7th, followed by Hezbollah on October 8th. Since then, including Lebanon in the north, Hamas in the south, and Iran’s proxies in various parts of the Middle East, they have continually launched attacks against us,” he continued.
Herzog highlighted that while the Israeli military is primarily focused on operations in Gaza, Hezbollah has not ceased firing missiles into northern Israel, leading to nearly 100,000 Israelis being displaced.
Although the Gaza conflict is ongoing, Hamas’s strength has significantly diminished, posing a lesser threat compared to the past. This has allowed Israel to reallocate resources, with the elite 98th Brigade being redeployed to the north, a unit that played a crucial role in Gaza, as reported by the Associated Press.
The Israeli government has now officially added a military objective to ensure the safe return of northern Israeli residents who have been displaced due to Hezbollah’s actions.
Herzog reiterated this commitment during the interview, emphasizing the government’s responsibility to care for its citizens and facilitate their return home, especially as many have been held captive by Hamas for almost a year.
He commended the United States for its efforts in pushing for negotiations but expressed reservations about the current situation.
“We have never said no to diplomatic agreements. On the contrary, a very capable U.S. special envoy and advisor to President Biden, Amos Hochstein, is trying to mediate between us and Lebanon,” Herzog stated.
“But let’s face reality. When dealing with terrorist organizations, they simply don’t care about international affairs. They hold hostages and fire indiscriminately,” he added.
While expressing support for the U.S. and Biden administration’s efforts, Herzog emphasized that the situation cannot continue indefinitely, especially as Israeli citizens need to return home.
As Herzog made these statements, tensions between Israel and Lebanon continued to escalate.
Last week, thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to Hezbollah exploded on two consecutive days, resulting in numerous casualties. Hezbollah blamed Israel for these attacks, but Herzog categorically denied any Israeli involvement during an interview with Sky News on Sunday.
He noted that Hezbollah has “many enemies,” and Israel had previously remained silent on the explosions.
Furthermore, last Friday, Israel conducted an airstrike on a nine-story apartment building in the southern outskirts of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, resulting in at least 45 fatalities, including 16 Hezbollah members. Ibrahim Aqil, commander of the Radwan Forces, was also killed in this airstrike.