IDF chief says Hamas is 'defeated' as Israel turns focus to Hezbollah after year of war in Gaza
6 October 2024, 23:26
Hamas's military has been defeated, Israel's army chief has said in a statement as IDF turns focus to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
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Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi said in a statement: "A year has passed, and we have defeated the military wing of Hamas [...]. We have dealt a severe blow to Hezbollah, which has lost all of its senior leadership.'
"We are not stopping – we fight, debrief, learn, and improve,' he added, as troops in northern Gaza operated against what the IDF said were Hamas attempts to rebuild.
Read More: Israel steps up bombardment of Gaza and Lebanon on eve of October 7 anniversary
"We are taking an offensive, tactical, and proactive approach on all fronts, adapting our defensive strategies on all borders, and understanding that the IDF must be a greater army that takes good care of its people.
"We are destroying our enemies' capabilities, and we will ensure that these capabilities are not rebuilt, so that October 7th is never repeated."
As Israel prepares to mark the anniversary of its darkest day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the West that waning support for his nation would embolden Iran's "axis of evil".
The controversial leader said: “Israel expects its friends to stand behind it and not impose restrictions that will only strengthen the Iranian axis of evil.
“Israel’s actions against Hezbollah are creating an opportunity to change the reality in Lebanon in favour of stability, security and peace in the entire region," Mr Netanyahu insisted in the call on Sunday.
