Israeli Air Force chief says Israel ‘ready’ to go to war against Hezbollah -Xinhua

JERUSALEM, June 27 (Xinhua) — Israeli Air Force Commander Tomer Bar said Thursday that the country’s forces are “ready” for a war against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

“Attacking the enemy on its own territory is the ultimate solution,” Bar said at a pilot course graduation ceremony, asserting that Israel is “ready against Hezbollah.”

“We have the means, we have the capabilities, and certainly the patience and the fighting spirit,” he said.

Bar’s remarks echo the warning of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Wednesday, who said during his visit to Washington that although the Israeli government prefers a diplomatic solution, Israeli forces are capable of returning Lebanon “to stone Age “.

Earlier Thursday, the Israeli army announced that it had killed a Hezbollah militant belonging to the Lebanese armed group’s air force, which was deploying drones towards Israel. Subsequently, two planes crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory crashed near the community of Rosh Hanikra, near the border, according to the army, which noted that no injuries were reported.

The same day, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that US officials had warned Israel that even a limited ground operation in southern Lebanon could trigger a full-scale conflict involving Iran and its allies.