JERUSALEM: Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, announced on Monday that Israeli troops are set to “very soon go into action” near the northern border with Lebanon, amidst escalating tensions during the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Gallant, addressing troops near the Gaza Strip, mentioned the deployment of forces to the northern border for reinforcement.

“They will very soon go into action… so the forces in the north are reinforced,” Gallant stated. He further noted that reservists would be gradually released to prepare for future operations. Since the start of the conflict on October 7, the Lebanese-Israeli border has witnessed almost daily exchanges of fire between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, an Iran-backed movement allied with Hamas.

On Monday, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for at least 12 attacks on Israeli army positions near the border, using Iranian-made Falaq-1 and Burkan missiles. The Israeli army responded with airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, targeting infrastructure and an observation post in southern Lebanese areas.

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Israel’s army chief, Herzi Halevi, had earlier stated that the likelihood of war on the northern border has significantly increased. “I don’t know when the war in the north is; I can tell you that the likelihood of it happening in the coming months is much higher than it was in the past,” Halevi mentioned.

According to an AFP tally, over 200 people, mostly Hezbollah members, have been killed in south Lebanon by Israeli fire since October 7. On the Israeli side of the border, nine soldiers and six civilians have been reported killed. Gallant also mentioned on Monday that Gaza militants were running out of supplies and ammunition, but the war against Hamas “will take months.”

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