Speaking at the relevant Knesset session, Israeli Defense Minister Gallant noted that Israel is facing a multi-front operational challenge from multiple directions. This includes threats from Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Iran.
He stressed that the IDF has already responded to threats from six directions. He also warned that any hostile act against Israel would face a strong repercussion, and no one could escape the possibility.
Despite Gallant's tough stance, his remarks underscored the enormous external pressure that Israel is facing after more than two months of fighting in Gaza.
Of these seven operational directions, Gaza is undoubtedly the focus of Israel's greatest attention.
Gallant's statement came on the same day that the Israeli army conducted ground operations in the northern Gaza region and the southern town of Khan Younis, and launched attacks on more than 100 targets believed to be linked to Hamas, in preparation for further expansion of the ground operation. Israeli Chief of General Staff Al-Khallewi said the fighting between Israel and Hamas could last for months.
Netanyahu**'s goal is to force Hamas to relinquish control of the Gaza Strip in order to eliminate security threats in the region. It may even be used as an opportunity to push the Palestinian population of the Gaza Strip to leave their homes with a view to resolving the Gaza problem once and for all.
It should be stated that the current military action carried out by Iran and other countries is essentially aimed at supporting Hamas and exerting external pressure on Israel through military means to force Netanyahu** to agree to a ceasefire. The conflict in Gaza therefore remains at the heart of the current situation.
Of the remaining six directions, Israel's previous relative focus of concern was clearly Allah in the Lebanese direction.
Allah has been a key target for Israel, and after Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, the Israeli army adopted a two-pronged strategy, taking revenge in Gaza and urgently increasing troops along the Lebanese border to guard against Allah attacks.
Allah did take direct action and began striking targets in the Israeli border areas. At present, the two sides are in a stage of mutual bombing on the border. Allah uses rockets, missiles and other long-range attacks on villages and military installations in Israel's border areas, while the Israeli army conducts air strikes against Allah's border targets, although no ground troops are sent to fight across the border.
After Allah's action, the Houthis in the Yemeni direction also announced their participation in the conflict, frequently using long-range ** attacks on targets in southern Israel, as well as Israeli-related ships crossing the Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and other places, triggering a Red Sea crisis that has an impact on the global ** chain.
In terms of practical impact, the Houthi actions put no less pressure on Israel than the threat posed by Allah.
In response to the Houthi missile attacks on the mainland, Israel carried out defensive actions on the one hand, and at the same time sent sea ships south. However, with the launch of Operation Prosperity Guardian, the U.S. military has in fact replaced the Israeli army as the primary counterweight to the Houthis.
The U.S. military has taken on the main task of ensuring that the threat from the Houthis is countered in the Red Sea region, which allows Israel to concentrate its forces and defend its homeland more effectively.
In the Syrian and Iraqi directions, the forces currently confronting Israel are similar to Allah and the Houthis, and are pro-Iranian armed groups that are members of the "Arc of Resistance". In November last year, militants fired rockets from inside Syria at Israeli military formations in the Golan Heights, while Israeli forces responded with artillery fire. In addition, ** destined for places like Lebanon from Iran actually needs to pass through Iraq and Syria.
The situation is slightly different in the Iraqi direction. In October last year, pro-Iranian forces such as the Islamic Resistance Group in Iraq were already involved in military operations against Israel, launching attacks on the Israeli Red Sea coastal city of Eilat and other places.
It is noteworthy that the Israeli military has not carried out actual military retaliation against pro-Iranian groups in Iraq. Probably because Baghdad has a special relationship with the United States, it is difficult for Israel to strike directly across the border. While attacking Israeli targets, these pro-Iranian armed groups have also targeted US troops in Iraq and Syria, resulting in the US military currently continuing to carry out air strikes on these armed groups and undertaking the main strike mission.
Reading this, it may be noted that although Tehran has not officially declared its participation in the conflict, almost all of Israel's current main adversaries, including Hamas, are closely linked to Iran and are seen as part of the "arc of resistance". Iran** also provides ** and other practical support to these allies through a number of special channels.
There are reports that the recent drone attack on a merchant ship in the Arabian Sea was the work of Iran, but Tehran has categorically denied this claim.
In this case, Israel carried out strikes on the Tehran side, although Israel did not directly attack targets inside Iran, but by inflicting air strikes on Iranian-related targets in Syria. Mousavi, the senior commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, was killed in Israeli airstrikes on targets on the outskirts of Damascus. After Mousavi's death, Iran** made it clear that it would make Israel pay for it.
In the West Bank direction, Israel's main adversary is the armed forces under the banner of Jihad and other groups. Although they are less closely linked to Iran, as part of the Palestinian resistance, these armed forces cannot sit idly by while the fighting in the Gaza Strip ignites.
In early October last year, Jihad's Quds Force and other forces began a military operation against Israel, albeit on a relatively small scale. Still, the Israeli army fought back, carrying out air strikes on targets in the West Bank, including refugee camps, and deploying ground troops, briefly capturing some cities.
Finally, it should be emphasized that although Israel is currently counterattacking on six fronts and is supported by the US military in some directions, Israel's situation is further deteriorating with the intensification of military actions such as Iran. The slightest carelessness risks costing Israel dearly.
Against the backdrop of the international community's urging for an early ceasefire, it remains unclear how long Netanyahu** will be able to maintain a tough stance.
Therefore, the current tough statements by Gallant and others actually have a rather limited deterrent effect, but instead give the outside world a sense that there may be some unease on the Israeli side.