IDF Chief Eyal Zamir Declares "Offensive Campaign" Against Hezbollah: Fighting May Last for "Many Days"

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir announced on Monday, March 2, 2026, that the Israeli military has shifted from a defensive to an "offensive posture" in Lebanon. Following Hezbollah’s rocket and drone barrage on northern Israel—the first major violation of the 2024 ceasefire—Zamir warned that the nation must prepare for a prolonged period of intense combat. "We are launching waves of strikes; we are no longer just defending," Zamir stated during a situational assessment.

Major General Rafi Milo, head of the Northern Command, confirmed that more reinforcements are being pushed to the border, noting that the intensity of airstrikes on Beirut and southern Lebanon will increase. Lebanese health officials reported at least 31 deaths following Israeli raids on the Dahieh district and over 50 southern villages. The IDF has mobilized 100,000 reservists as the regional conflict ignited by the strikes on Iran spreads to the Lebanese front.