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Return of displaced northerners officially declared a war goal

Netanyahu tells U.S. official that while Israel appreciates American support, it will “do what is necessary” to safeguard citizens, security of the state.

By World Israel News Staff

Israel appeared to take an additional step towards launching an intensive military campaign against Hezbollah, as the national security cabinet announced that the return of evacuated residents of the north as an official goal for the ongoing war.

Following the October 7th terror onslaught, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defined the aims of the war as returning all of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas, dismantling Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and ensuring that the terror group never again poses a security threat to the Jewish State.

Ensuring the safe return of those forced from their homes near the border with Lebanon has now been added to the list of war objectives, as Israeli officials signal that the IDF is preparing for a large-scale offensive against Hezbollah.

Since October 8th, Hezbollah has launched near-daily salvos on northern Israeli communities and military assets. The barrages of rockets, missiles, and explosive drones forced the evacuation of at least 60,000 Israelis from their homes adjacent to the Lebanese border. Tens of thousands of northerners, who were not displaced, have been living under the constant threat of Hezbollah aggression for almost a year.

The U.S. has been intensely pressuring Israel to hold off on the campaign until after the November presidential elections, according to Hebrew-language media reports.

However, it’s unclear if Israel will abide by that timeline.

The Biden administration’s special envoy to the Middle East, Amos Hochstein, traveled to Israel on Monday and met with several Israeli officials, including Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, in what appeared to be a last-ditch effort to persuade Israel to avoid decisive military action.

“The Prime Minister made it very clear that it will not be possible to return our residents without a fundamental change in the security situation in the north,” read a summary of the meeting published by the premier’s office.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu said that while Israel appreciates and respects the support of the U.S., it will – ultimately – do what is necessary to safeguard its security and return the residents of the north securely to their homes.”