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Netanyahu: War with Gaza only as last resort

A seemingly holding truce continues to prevail on Israel’s southern frontier with the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. After a rocket alert siren was heard across the Eshkol Regional Council early this morning, the IDF spokesperson’s unit hurried to release a statement, confirming it to be “a false alarm.”

That said, while the cessation of hostilities holds, tensions continue to run-high – with a senior Israeli defense official telling TV7, that “any minor aggression (emanating from Gaza) is capable of provoking a wider escalation.” That is why, the Israeli military continues to deploy additional forces along the enclave’s border, keeping its preparedness on the highest-level of alert.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conducted a surprise inspection of the front line, during which he held meetings with IDF division and brigade commanders. Thereafter, Netanyahu attended an inauguration ceremony for a new section of Israel’s main cross-country Highway, during which the Prime Minister underscored that ‘only after all possibilities have been exhausted, Israel will go into an extensive military campaign.’ He said: “I come now from the border with the Gaza Strip. I met with divisional and brigade commanders who are on the first line. We are tightening the security ring around the Gaza Strip. I recently ordered that the units be reinforced, that tools be added, in preparation for an extensive campaign. All citizens of Israel know that if an extensive campaign is necessary – we will go into it strong and secure, after all other possibilities have been exhausted.”

On the matter of the Golan Heights, Prime Minister Netanyahu took the opportunity to respond to all international condemnations by reemphasizing Israel’s appreciation and support of U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights. In his words: “We are operating on several fronts simultaneously. Not far from here are the Golan Heights, our sovereignty over which was recognized by President Trump three days ago. This is a tremendous diplomatic achievement for the State of Israel.”

With regard to Iran’s ongoing efforts to entrench itself militarily in Syria, the Prime Minister confirmed Israel’s continued resolve to prevent Tehran’s aspirations, yet stopped short from claiming responsibility for the alleged Israeli attack against Iranian targets northeast of the Syrian city of Aleppo. “Beyond the Golan Heights is Syria, and also Iran. Iran is constantly trying to bring precision long-range missiles, which are very advanced and very lethal, into Syria. We are not prepared to accept this and our activity against Iran’s attempt to entrench militarily in Syria, to bring in advance weaponry, is continuing all the time,” Netanyahu said.

While initial details from the attack, which were reported by TV7, could initially not confirm the intended target of the alleged Israeli bombardment; new confirmed reports have revealed that “the targets were an Iranian weapon-manufacturing-factory and warehouses in which precision-guided missiles are stored.” Furthermore, a report by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed that ‘at least seven people were killed and five wounded, all of whom were members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and Iranian-backed militias.’ Meanwhile, shortly After the attack, Israel announced the closure of its air space over the Golan Heights to all flights over 5,000 feet.