Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi convened a situational assessment focusing on readiness in “offense and defense in all arenas” on Tuesday night, the IDF said, after Hezbollah blamed the Jewish state for blasts in Lebanon that killed several terrorists and wounded thousands more.
Halevi “held a situational assessment this evening with the participation of the General Staff Forum,” which includes around 30 of the Israeli military’s most senior commanders, according to the IDF.
“The IDF spokesman wishes to clarify that, at this stage, there is no change in the directives of the Home Front Command. Vigilance must continue to be maintained, and any change in policy will be updated immediately,” the statement added.
Hezbollah has blamed Israel for the pager explosions that wounded at least 3,000 and killed at least nine terrorists in Lebanon and Syria earlier on Tuesday, saying Jerusalem will get “its fair punishment” in response.
The statement warned that “this treacherous and criminal enemy will certainly receive its just punishment for this sinful aggression from where it expects it or does not expect it,” according to a translation by Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen, which is affiliated with the terrorist group.
Approximately 200 terrorists were in critical condition in 100 Lebanese hospitals, Beirut’s health minister, Firass Abiad, announced some three hours after the blasts were first reported at 3.30 p.m. local time.
Senior Hezbollah officials were said to have been wounded in the blasts. Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was also hurt in one of the explosions, Tehran’s semi-official Mehr outlet reported.
The Israel Defense Forces declined to comment on the incident, which came just hours after the Israeli Cabinet added the return of citizens displaced from their homes in the north to the country’s war goals, bringing a potential major clash with Hezbollah closer to reality.
A U.S. official told ABC News on Tuesday evening that while Hezbollah and Iran are likely to retaliate for the alleged explosive hack, “it could take them time to do so while they assess what happened.”
The IDF’s Home Front Command has reportedly informed local authorities of a possible escalation on the border with Lebanon but stressed that there are currently no changes to instructions for citizens.
Israel’s defense establishment believes that Hezbollah is preparing for a large-scale assault in response to Tuesday’s attack in Lebanon, the Kan News public broadcaster reported on Tuesday night.
After Hezbollah accused Israel of being behind the explosions, the alert level in the Jewish state was raised, Kan News reported, adding that Home Front Command had boosted its deployment in the Haifa area.
The Magen David Adom emergency response group called on the public to come donate blood at the northern city’s municipal sports complex.
In addition, officials with Israel’s Transportation Ministry discussed the prospect of escalation with Hezbollah on Tuesday. The senior officials discussed preparations at Haifa Port and Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport, as well as other emergency scenarios.
According to the Kan News report, the alert level was raised at all of Israel’s seaports, including Eilat Port.
Iran-backed Hezbollah has attacked Israel nearly daily since Oct. 8, firing thousands of rockets, missiles and drones. The attacks have so far killed more than 40 people and caused widespread damage. Tens of thousands of civilians remain internally displaced due to the violence.
