Halevi: 'We will not stop until we return residents to the North'

In a joint assessment meeting between IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Herzi Halevi and ISA (Shin Bet) head Ronen Bar on Thursday on developments in southern Lebanon, Halevi vowed to bring northern Israeli communities home, Israeli media reported.

The assessment meeting was held with the commander of the Northern Command, the commander of Division 91, and several other commanders.

"We will not stop until we can return residents safely [to the North]," Halevi said. He added, "If anyone considers rebuilding these villages again, they will know that it's not worth constructing terrorist infrastructure because the IDF will neutralize them again. We are operating across all arenas, both in the Beqaa Valley and in Beirut, north and south of the Litani, and all these efforts are working very effectively. What you are doing here is the most important component for returning the residents. "

Israel's multi-front war

Halevi also discussed another major arena in the current war: the Gaza Strip, and the seven divisions operating between the south, center, and north. “We continue to operate against the enemy and will not stop until we ensure that we can safely return the residents, not just now, but with a future outlook."

The statements also emphasized the importance of the holiday season and the IDF's desire for Israel to observe it safely.

Ronen Bar, Director of the Shin Bet, said: “The State of Israel cannot protect its residents from terrorists solely with shopping mall security guards, nor defend against rockets only by building shelters. The solution must be found in the terrorists' nests and production lines."

He added, "On a peaceful border, defense is on one side; on a wartime border, defense must be on both sides of the border with freedom of action. In the last few years, we have seen Hamas entrench itself in Lebanon, and this will intensify as they move out of Gaza and their focus shifts here."

"We will continue to pursue them everywhere. We will always remember the massacre of October 7th, and we will ensure they remember the lesson of October 8th”.