Gallant considering how to prepare Israel for war in the north

ZIONIST IMPERIALISM EXPANDS WAR TO MENA

Defense Minister to launch public campaign to explain what Israelis can expect in the case of a full-scale war with Hezbollah although officials debate its content; Gallant also concerned of Nasrallah reaction to such a campaign

Yosi Yehoshua|

Ynet can reveal on Tuesday, that a meeting was held last Thursday to present Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, with how best to prepare Israelis for a full-blown war against Hezbollah in the north.

Assuming Israel is responsible for the killing of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Mohammad Reza Zahedi, on Monday, there is a real need to prepare the entire public for a full-scale confrontation with Hezbollah and its Iranian patrons. 

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant
(Photo: Shahar Yurman)

Gallant instructed the officials to conduct a survey of how the public would perceive the possibility of war, to determine how best to present information in preparation for such an eventuality. There is consensus among officials about the need for a public campaign although what it would include is still being debated.
The Defense Minister was reportedly concerned not only of the Israeli public's response to the increasing probability of war, but also of the reaction of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah to such a public awareness campaign.

Nasrallah is thought to be a compulsive follower of Israeli media and has often analyzed public sentiment in Israel in his speeches. He may therefore view such a campaign as an opportunity to intensify the military conflict with Israel. He has already achieved a strategic win in the evacuation of citizens from communities close to the Lebanon border, but has also suffered considerable losses in the months of fighting, his elite Radwan forces have been pushed back some five kilometers from the border, and there has been growing pressure within Lebanon to avoid war.


Hassan Nasrallah

The dilemma of the campaign has been haunting IDF's top brass since around 2006. Even if the media focuses on the precise number of Hezbollah missiles, the prevailing opinion is that most people either don't know or prefer to ignore the facts. For instance, Hezbollah can launch as many rockets in a day as Hamas did on October 7, namely 4,000.
"We need to hurry up with the campaign," summarized the informed source. "Citizens need to know exactly what we're preparing for. Not to panic, but to raise awareness. To prepare rather than procrastinate. It doesn't mean a full-scale war will break out tomorrow, but defense is critical because implementing preparedness saves lives. We see it with Iron Dome: the number of casualties on the home front is very low compared to the number of missiles fired at Israel. The public is receptive to guidelines and needs to act the same way in case of a full-blown confrontation with Hezbollah."