The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has reportedly delayed its ground operation into Gaza for a variety of reasons including the belief that an Iranian-backed terrorist group might be planning a surprise attack the moment Israel deploys its forces.
The news comes after more than 1,400 Israelis were murdered in one of the largest terrorist attacks in history last weekend that was carried out by Palestinian terrorists in Hamas.
The Jerusalem Post reported that Israeli Military sources told the newspaper that there is growing fear that the Lebanese-based terrorist group Hezbollah was waiting for the IDF to get fully immersed in fighting inside Gaza before launching a full-scale war against Israel from the north.
Hezbollah has launched small-scale attacks against Israel in recent days which have been easily defeated by Israeli forces. However, the military sources cautioned this could be part of “an elaborate fake-out to lure the IDF into a false sense of security, similar to what Hamas pulled off in the south,” the report said.
Israeli officials are wanting to make sure they beef up their military capabilities in the north and make sure that they are not missing any signals from their intelligence counterparts.
Israeli officials also want to make sure that they have their ducks in a row before launching the ground offensive since the IDF has not conducted an operation like this in decades.
A short while ago, the IAF struck terror targets and military infrastructure of the Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon, in response to fire yesterday (Monday) towards Israel. pic.twitter.com/6AP56PSHld
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 17, 2023
The Associated Press reported that Hezbollah has deployed snipers in recent days to destroy Israeli surveillance cameras at Israeli army posts near the Israel-Lebanon border
The terrorist group, which Israel considers its top nearby threat, wants to stop Israel’s ability to monitor its movements near the border
President Joe Biden deployed a second aircraft carrier to the region last week to join the USS Ford strike carrier group that is already positioned there. The administration also sent fighter jets from the Air Force and a rapid response force of 2,000 Marines to the area.