More than 11 months into the war, Netanyahu chairs a discussion about the situation in the North and decides it can no longer continue; Israeli officials believe the American diplomatic effort is futile and war is a matter of time 

“The situation in the north cannot continue. We need to change the balance and must return the residents home. This will not be done without changing the balance vis-à-vis Hezbollah. The IDF must prepare for a broad campaign in Lebanon,” Netanyahu told his Security Cabinet.Netanyahu’s words at the cabinet’ meeting on Thursday night, more than 11 months after Hezbollah joined Hamas in attacking Israel, were said even before Hezbollah launched dozens of rockets into Israel over the weekend. On Saturday night, the IDF attacked Hezbollah’s ammunition depots both in southern Lebanon and in the north, more than 150 kilometers from Israel’s borders.

The Israeli officials discussing the U.S. diplomatic effort in Lebanon, headed by envoy Amos Hochstein, are not producing any results. Although Israel is giving the American initiative another chance, it has conveyed there might be no choice but to resort to a broad military campaign in the north. According to an Israeli senior official, a military campaign in the north is a matter of time, ranging from a few weeks to a few months. Even before the operation in Rafah, Netanyahu had announced the approval of operational plans for such an operation. However, its’ start was delayed before the IDF could begin.

Israeli officials at the discussion doubted a diplomatic solution would solve the current conflict and return the displaced northern residents home. “Who will return home because Nasrallah will sign a paper?” security officials wondered. “How likely is it that will he agree to disarm and retreat north of the Litani River? It is a dream, and it will not happen. That is why the defense establishment understands that we will probably have to go to war to bring the people home.”

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