IDF Chief: We’re Working Under The Radar To Prevent Hezbollah From Gaining Strength

TEL AVIV – The IDF is working “under the radar” to prevent the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group from getting any stronger, the military’s Chief of Staff said at a closed-door meeting at the Knesset following reports of an air force strike on a weapons shipment bound for the Shiite group in Syria.  

However, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot also said in the meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that neither Hezbollah nor Gaza-based terror Hamas were interested in a fresh round of conflict in the near future.

According to Eizenkot, the Lebanon-based terror group is demoralized and facing a budgetary crisis due to its involvement in Syria. Fighting on behalf of Bashar Assad has significantly weakened the Iran-backed group, he said.

Eisenkot’s remarks come in the wake of threats made by Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, including, most recently, vowing that in a future war Hezbollah would not hold back from targeting Israel’s vital infrastructure.

“In the face of Israel’s threats to destroy Lebanon’s infrastructure, we will not abide by red lines, especially regarding Haifa’s ammonia and the nuclear reactor in Dimona. Hezbollah possesses the full courage for this,” he said, according to an English translation of his comments reported by the Naharnet website.

Last week, Nasrallah made similar threats against Haifa and Dimona, warning that a strike on the ammonia plant would be akin to a nuclear bomb explosion.

On Wednesday, Hezbollah claimed that the IDF had buried spyware and surveillance equipment in southern Lebanon, adjacent to the UN-demarcated border with Israel.

“The Israeli enemy penetrated through the technological barrier surrounding the village of Meiss Ej Jabal, in the Qurum a-Shiqui region near the Blue Line, and planted spy gear in the area,” Hezbollah posted on one of its Twitter accounts alongside a picture of alleged IDF spy gear.

However, the group denied any strikes by the IDF on weapons shipments in Syria.