Jerusalem, Jun 18 (EFE).- The Israeli army said Tuesday it had «approved and validated» operational plans for a military offensive in Lebanon, while White House’s chief mediator in the conflict between Israel and the Shiite militia Hezbollah, Amos Hochstein, landed in Beirut to seek an «urgent» de-escalation on the Israeli-Lebanese border.
«As part of the situational assessment, operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon were approved and validated and decisions were taken on the continuation of increasing the readiness of troops in the field,» a military statement said issued by the Israeli Defence Forces said.
The operation plans, whose details were not released, were approved by Northern Command Commander Ori Gordin and Operations Directorate Chief Oded Basiuk.
Earlier, a statement by Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz warned that Tel Aviv was «very close to the moment when we will decide to change the rules of the game against Hezbollah and Lebanon.»
«In a total war, Hezbollah will be destroyed and Lebanon will be hit hard,» the minister added.
Meanwhile, Hochstein met Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, and opposition leaders, and traveled Tuesday to Beirut.
«We have seen an escalation over the last few weeks and what (US) President (Joe) Biden wants to do is to avoid a further escalation to a greater war,» Hochstein told reporters after meeting with Lebanon’s House Speaker Nabih Berri, a close ally of Hezbollah.
«This is a very serious situation we are in,» the US official added.
Since the start of the Gaza war, both Israel and Hezbollah, an ally of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, have engaged in daily hostilities along the border, which have intensified with the firing of hundreds of rockets and the targeted assassination of a senior official by Israel.
Hezbollah has lost at least 315 militiamen, some in attacks in Syria plus another 63 members of other Lebanese militias, one Lebanese soldier, and more than 92 civilians, including ten minors and three journalists, have also been killed on the Lebanese side.
In Israel, 15 military personnel and 10 civilians have been killed in the north. EFE
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