Analysts: “The more time passes and the more the Israeli army’s operations in the Gaza Strip expand, the confrontation with Hezbollah will escalate. The risk of a misunderstanding on the northern front has increased significantly. The fear is that Israel does not actually control the pace and intensity of the escalation.”

Israeli military analysts suggested today, Monday, that the Israeli army will escalate its operations against Hezbollah, following the increase in the frequency of launching rocket shells and targeting sites on the Lebanese border with anti-armor shells. Analysts believe that Hezbollah's escalation yesterday was represented by expanding the firing of rockets to distant areas south of the border, including the city of Acre and the cities in Haifa Bay.

Tal Lev Ram, a military analyst in the Maariv newspaper, pointed out that at the center of the Israeli security leadership’s dilemma is the belief that another escalation against Hezbollah would affect decision-making regarding the continued implementation of war plans in the Gaza Strip.

He added, "There is a realization (in Israel) that it is no longer possible to continue containing Hezbollah's aggression through defense alone, and that the cells should be attacked before or after they carry out shooting and attacking Hezbollah's infrastructure, and that there is a need to escalate offensive operations further, so that Hezbollah will pay a price, without deteriorating into a rapid escalation, which means moving the central battlefield north (facing Lebanon) and requires freezing the situation with everything related to the southern front versus Hamas.”

Lev Ram pointed out that "the more time passes and the Israeli army's operations expand to other areas in the Gaza Strip, the confrontation with Hezbollah will escalate in the coming period," and pointed out that "the threats on the northern front are much more dangerous to the State of Israel" than the situation in the Strip.

The position of the Israeli security leadership so far is that “the focus must be on the war against Hamas, and not allow Hezbollah to distract the Israeli army from its central efforts,” according to Lev Ram. However, an Israeli reserve officer considered that "the situation in the north now allows (an escalation against Hezbollah), and the initiative (to such an escalation) will be more difficult when the residents of the Israeli border towns return to their homes." However, this position does not represent the Israeli security leadership, according to Lev Ram.

On the other hand, the residents of the Israeli towns near the Lebanese border, who were evacuated from these towns, demand “removing the threat of the Radwan Force” in Hezbollah and removing its fighters from the border, in anticipation of a repeat of the October 7 scenario in these towns, and that without this, there will be no They agree to return to these towns.

According to Amos Harel, a military analyst in the Haaretz newspaper, “Officially, Hamas members in Lebanon were responsible for launching the rockets yesterday, but it is clear that Hezbollah is directing them from behind the scenes. Hezbollah is now playing a dangerous game of fire, This would lead to the complete opening of a second front.”

Harel considered that "the risk of a misunderstanding on the northern front has increased significantly. The fear is that Israel does not actually control the pace and intensity of the escalation. Hezbollah realizes, as it believes, that it is not only free to fire mortar shells, but also by very diverse means, including attack aircraft." Drones, Katyusha missiles, anti-tank missiles, and this began to exact a price from the Israeli army, at a time when the front line gradually moved south,” referring to the firing of rockets towards Haifa Bay.

Harel pointed out that the Israeli army further complicated the situation vis-à-vis Hezbollah by targeting its air defenses, when it “bombed for the first time at a depth of approximately 40 kilometers in Lebanese territory. The target was an Iranian SI-67 surface-to-air missile platform, which Hezbollah is trying to "May God bring down Israeli drones. The Israeli army is taking advantage of the escalation in order to remove nuisance factors that will be used later, including the sites of the Radwan commando force and a section of Hezbollah's anti-aircraft and anti-armor systems."

The occupation army continues its military pressure, focusing on the northern Gaza Strip and Gaza City, but reports from the Gaza Strip speak of fierce battles. In parallel, American and Arab press reports talk about a possible prisoner exchange deal, and if it is achieved, it will be partial, meaning not releasing all the Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip.

Harel saw that, “In the meantime, the Israeli government and army continue, daily, to obstruct a prisoner deal and political efforts to reach a deal. Minister Avi Dichter spoke on Channel 12 about the ‘Nakba 23’ that Israel is implementing in the northern Gaza Strip, with the displacement of the Palestinian population to the south.” ".

He added, "Videos filmed by Israeli officers and soldiers come out of Gaza almost daily, containing arrogant statements about the resettlement of Gush Katif (the settlement bloc in the Strip that was evacuated in 2005). Neither Prime Minister Netanyahu nor the Chief of General Staff succeed in controlling that".