Israel Prepares to ‘Go on the Offensive’ Against Hezbollah

Israel is preparing an offensive against the Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah, Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, commander of the Israel Defense Forces (idf) Northern Command, said on February 9.

Details: The war in Gaza seems to be nearing an end. The idf began its offensive in Rafah, the last Hamas stronghold in the Gaza Strip, on February 8. But Israel looks more determined than ever to go on the offensive against Iran’s terrorist proxies such as Hezbollah, even if that means invading Lebanon.

Hezbollah’s attacks on northern Israel since October have pushed many Israelis out of their homes.

• About 80,000 Israelis have evacuated their homes.
• 427 houses have been damaged.
• 80 houses have suffered from a direct hit.

Israel wants evacuees to be able to return as soon as possible. “Our goal is to change the security situation in the north in a manner that will allow us to safely return the residents home to a sense of security,” said Gordin.

We are determined to change the security reality that is already shifting these days and continue to prepare for an expansion of the war and to go on the offensive—this is our mission. We will continue to fight the defensive battle, to harm Hezbollah and negate its capabilities.
—Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin

Will Israel invade? On February 6, Israel and Lebanon reported an informal peace deal, indicating that there may be some deescalation, but both sides have continued to skirmish since that date.

As we wrote last week:

Hezbollah still rules Lebanon and is still committed to Israel’s destruction. The core causes of the tensions are still there. And with Israel having a new determination to take the battle to the Islamists, war in Lebanon remains a real possibility.

We don’t know whether Israel will attack Hezbollah. But Bible prophecy says Iran’s grip on Lebanon will not last. An Israeli invasion, perhaps backed by Germany, could advance prophecies the Trumpet has watched for decades.

Learn more: Read our Trends article “Why the Trumpet Watches an Alliance Between Arab Nations and Europe.”