IDF Warns of Hezbollah's Continued Threat Ahead of Holidays

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are reinforcing troops in southern Lebanon in anticipation of the upcoming holiday season, citing intelligence assessments that Hezbollah continues to covertly and slowly rebuild its capabilities. According to a report in "Maariv," the military believes Hezbollah's activities are sometimes occurring deep within territory beyond the "blue line" border. The IDF operates under the assumption that Hezbollah does not consider the conflict with Israel to be over and intends to continue its operations.

Military officials stated, "Our working assumption is that Hezbollah, from its perspective, has not finished the fighting against Israel. It is not over and it intends to continue operating." Assessments suggest the organization may attempt to restore its capabilities and carry out guerrilla-style attacks in the future, though the IDF acknowledges uncertainty about the specific timing and location of such actions.

Potential scenarios being considered include improvised explosive device attacks or the use of explosive-laden drones. The IDF is also not ruling out the possibility of Hezbollah operatives attempting to raid an Israeli military post, with one official stating, "We cannot rule out that he will try to raid a post."

In preparation for the holidays, which are considered a particularly complex operational period, forces in the northern sector are consolidating and increasing their strength. Leave for soldiers is being reduced, and there will be no full ceasefires or periods of complete calm. The IDF emphasized that this heightened readiness is not based on specific intelligence about an imminent attack, but rather on an assessment that Hezbollah may attempt to challenge Israeli forces in the near future. Additionally, seasonal weather changes and expected fog in the region complicate defensive operations, requiring forces to adjust their preparations accordingly.