IDF chief warns ‘precarious’ security situation could lead to conflict in north
Lt. Gen. Kohavi says Iran behind main threats facing Israel, identifies Syria and Lebanon as primary areas of concern
24 October 2019
IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi on Thursday warned that Israel is facing a threat of conflict in both the north and the south, forcing the military to rapidly prepare for war.
“In the northern and southern arenas the situation is tense and precarious and poised to deteriorate into a conflict despite the fact that our enemies are not interested in war. In light of this, the IDF has been in an accelerated process of preparation,” Kohavi said.
The army chief made his remarks at the unveiling of a plan known as Momentum, or Tenufa in Hebrew, which will guide the military’s actions for the next five years.
In a briefing to reporters, the IDF chief said the primary threat facing Israel comes from Iran and its proxies in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq.
“The main strategic threat to the State of Israel lies in the northern arena: with the entrenchment of Iranian and other forces in Syria, and with [the Hezbollah terror group’s] precision missile project,” Kohavi said, referring to an effort by the Iran-backed Lebanese militia to develop highly accurate long-range projectiles.
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