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IDF expects Gaza war through 2026, predicts when full-scale war in north begins

Fighting along Lebanese border to escalate into full-scale war by September, say military analysts.

By World Israel News Staff

The Israeli army expects the current multi-front war to continue through 2026 and is preparing for an escalation in the fighting along the northern border in the coming months, according to a report from Arutz Sheva.

The current Swords of Iron War, which was triggered by the October 7th terror onslaught and has continued for more than seven months, is the longest in Israel’s history.

Skirmishes in the north with Lebanon-based terror group Hezbollah, which have so far mostly been contained to communities within five kilometers (3.1 miles) of the border, will to escalate into full-scale war by September, say military analysts.

The IDF is continuing to operate in the Gaza Strip and is gearing up for a ground invasion of Rafah, which is believed to be the last Hamas stronghold in the coastal enclave.

Residents of Sderot, a Gaza-adjacent city that was targeted on October 7th, returned to their homes in March after nearly six months of evacuation.

But after near-daily rocket fire on the city that has continued virtually unabated, some are questioning whether the IDF has made sufficient progress in battling Hamas.

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“There’s a lot of talk about closing the schools in the coming days, because the security situation is intolerable,” Ella, a resident of Sderot and mother of two elementary-aged children told Hebrew-language outlet Ynet.

“We were told to go home, so we came back. Nobody thought there would be total calm, we didn’t expect that we would be dealing with incoming [rockets and missiles] on a daily basis,” she added.

“If there was an air raid siren every few weeks, we could handle it, but the current situation doesn’t make sense after so many months of fighting,” she continued.

“I feel like I was cheated, that the situation is actually much worse [now.] There’s a limit to how much [the residents] can take.”