 is gearing up to assist ground forces in potential operations against Hezbollah, according to IAF Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar){kind=link}
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) is gearing up to assist ground forces in potential operations against Hezbollah, according to IAF Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar.
In a video released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Thursday, Bar revealed that the air force is preparing to target weapon transfers from Iran to Hezbollah and support Israeli troops in any future ground offensives against the Lebanese militant group.
“Now, in Lebanon, we are going to prevent any possibility of weapon transfers from Iran in light of the capabilities we’ve now degraded from Hezbollah,” Bar said. He emphasized the critical role that Iranian arms play in Hezbollah’s operations and noted that the air force is set to disrupt this supply chain.
Bar underscored that Hezbollah’s strength is directly linked to Iran’s ability to send weapons. “Nasrallah’s confidence depends on the supply coming from Iran,” Bar added, referring to Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah. He pointed out that Hezbollah’s capacity to recover from Israeli strikes largely hinges on its access to Iranian resources.
Ground Maneuver Preparedness
In addition to the air force’s efforts to cut off Hezbollah’s arms supply, Bar highlighted ongoing preparations for a coordinated ground and air offensive.
“We are preparing, shoulder-to-shoulder, with Northern Command for a ground maneuver,” he told troops in the video. While the decision to launch a ground operation remains in the hands of higher authorities, Bar confirmed that the air force is ready to provide aerial support to ground forces.
Bar referenced the IAF’s recent operations in Gaza, where the air force provided close support to combat teams on the ground.
“What we demonstrated in the Southern Command during the operations in Gaza, with the aerial support surrounding each combat team, down to the individual soldier going in, will be the starting point in the North,” he explained, suggesting that similar strategies will be applied in a possible northern offensive against Hezbollah.
Comprehensive Air Force Strategy
Bar stressed the importance of the partnership between air and ground forces in countering Hezbollah’s more significant threat compared to Gaza-based groups.
“The threats [in Lebanon] are greater,” he stated, explaining that the combined efforts of air and ground maneuvers will be essential in degrading Hezbollah’s military capabilities.
The air force chief also outlined a broad, adaptive strategy for future operations, emphasizing the flexibility of IAF targeting methods.
“The targets are both pre-planned targets and targets that emerge in real-time, using all the capabilities within the air force,” he said, ensuring that the air force will strike as needed without restrictions on location or target types.
Bar emphasized that the IAF would be prepared to hit targets across southern Lebanon and even in Beirut, whether they were “underground, above ground, in southern Lebanon, and Beirut.”
Moreover, Bar warned that Hezbollah’s reach extends beyond northern Israel, with the potential to strike the country’s central and southern regions. “This is our opportunity to degrade them, taking them out from the air and from the ground in an organized manner,” he concluded.
As tensions rise along Israel’s northern border, the IAF’s readiness to neutralize Hezbollah’s arms transfers and its close coordination with ground forces highlights the IDF’s growing focus on Hezbollah and the threat it poses to Israel’s security.