‘Israel fighting Iran-led axis, not just Hamas,’ says Israeli Defense Minister

Gallant said the war will consist of several phases and ‘will last for a longer time.’

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

As the war between Israel and Hamas enters its fourth month, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told the Wall Street Journal that Israel is facing a complex enemy backed by Iran.

“My basic view: We are fighting an axis, not a single enemy,” Gallant said. “Iran is building up military power around Israel to use it.”

Concerning the attack on October 7th during which thousands of Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel on a rampage of rape, torture, and murder that left 1,200 Israelis dead and 240 as hostages in Gaza, Gallant said, “October 7 was the bloodiest day for Jewish people since 1945.”

He added, “The world needs to understand. This is different.”

Given the unusually brutal event that ushered in the war and the network of enemies Israel faces backed by Iran, the war will consist of several phases and “will last for a longer time,” Gallant warned.

Gallant described the new phase of the war in Gaza and the shift away from the “intense maneuvering phase of the war” toward “different types of special operations.”

Yoav Gallant emphasized that Israel was committed to its goals of eliminating Hamas as a military and political power in Gaza and freeing the remaining hostages.

“We’re close to the next phase in the north, including Gaza City” where Israeli forces have secured control, at least above ground as they work to destroy the large network of terror tunnels used by Hamas.

More intense fighting continues in Khan Younis as the IDF moves south and attacks Hamas headquarters in that area.

Currently, much of Gaza’s population is concentrated in the south having left the north at the beginning of the war.

“We need to take into consideration the huge number of civilians,” Gallant said, saying that the IDF will have to adapt its strategy.

“It will take some time,” Gallant said. “But we aren’t going to give up.”