Israeli Military on High Alert for Potential War with Lebanon Amid Diplomatic Efforts

A report by Amale Chehadeh, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine


The Israeli military leadership has put the northern region on high alert for a potential war with Lebanon, despite decision-makers in the political establishment emphasizing the priority of diplomatic efforts that require weeks of talks. Amid the sounds of sirens in Safed and Tiberias, where at least forty rockets caused extensive property damage, the army transported new combat equipment to the north, which saw unprecedented air activity, along with ground and air exercises conducted by the military. The Air Force commander declared his forces are ready for decisive action in both Lebanon and Gaza.

However, the readiness claimed by the Air Force commander is far from reality, as revealed by a senior Air Force officer who sent a message to the General Staff, requesting clarification to the political level that the army is not prepared for a prolonged war in Lebanon, as it would lead Israel to a strategic catastrophe worse than that of October 7.

The State Comptroller, who usually provides legal advice to the Prime Minister, requested Benjamin Netanyahu to present a plan for evacuating residents before making any decision regarding Lebanon, stressing that the home front is not prepared.

As northern mayors prepared for various scenarios to protect and rescue residents, public anxiety increased with the announcement of emergency instructions for northern hospitals to prepare for a wide-scale war with Lebanon. The first scenario, called "Total Darkness," refers to the potential for a prolonged power outage in these health institutions. The second scenario, "Isolated Island," deals with the possibility of the hospital being cut off from access roads, hindering medical and food supplies.

It was found that, except for Rambam Hospital in Haifa, the other northern hospitals, namely Poria, Safed, and Nahariya, are not ready for emergencies. Given this reality, instructions were issued to HaEmek Hospital in Afula to increase the number of beds by three hundred. The aforementioned hospitals are to conduct drills on receiving a large number of casualties simultaneously.

All this comes while the political level, which holds the final decision on war, awaits the developments of the prisoner exchange deal and the post-Rafah situation, as well as the peace settlement talks with Lebanon, leaving the Israeli citizen in a state of confusion and uncertainty between the military and political institutions.