As the date of the Israeli elections approaches, the security and military establishment in Israel is witnessing a state of extreme alert on several fronts, amid intelligence estimates indicating that the Hamas movement and the party may attempt to influence the electoral scene by carrying out surprise attacks, especially kidnappings, which the military leadership considers the most dangerous scenario.
In this context, a report published by journalists Amir Boukhbout and Aidan Kevler on the Israeli Walla website revealed that senior officials in the security establishment estimate that the possibility of carrying out attacks increases as the voting date approaches. A security official explained that the intelligence services spent weeks trying to explore the enemy’s plans, while raising the level of alert and readiness in anticipation of false assessments that the other party might make regarding the nature of the Israeli response.
On the northern front, there is a state of great concern among the Northern Command of the Israeli army about the possibility of friction with the “party” along what is known as the “yellow line” in southern Lebanon and inside Lebanese territory. Worrying scenarios include planting explosive devices to target army patrols, using drones to collect information, or a sudden shift to offensive operations, as well as the possibility of militants infiltrating modern Israeli military sites, similar to the attacks witnessed on sites in the Gaza Strip.
In the face of these threats, the Israeli army issued strict instructions to field commanders to deal with the kidnapping scenario as a permanent operational possibility, and not just an exceptional warning. To enhance readiness, in recent weeks the army conducted intensive joint training between the ground forces operating in Lebanon and the air force, with the aim of accelerating response mechanisms to any simultaneous incidents along the “yellow line,” indicating that it has a wide target bank that includes the depth of Lebanese territory and Beirut.
On the political side, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu entered the line of warnings, confirming the presence of indicators of possible attacks nearing the elections, and sending a warning message by saying: “Do not mess with us, our long arm will reach you everywhere and at all times.” On the other hand, the head of the “Yashar!” party demanded Gadi Eisenkot asked Netanyahu to immediately inform opposition leader Yair Lapid of this information to ensure its seriousness and not use it as an electoral political tool, stressing the need to completely separate security and the election campaign. As a result, Lapid requested a security update, while Netanyahu instructed his military secretary to update him on the developments.
Regarding the Lebanese field, the Israeli army expressed its dissatisfaction with the performance of the Lebanese army, accusing it of hesitation in confronting “Hezbollah” elements and destroying its military structure. There is a growing conviction in Israel that reaching a bilateral agreement to form a multinational force may become necessary to force the party’s removal and disarmament from southern Lebanon, warning that in the absence of a similar model, the party will attempt to rebuild its strength in the region.
A military official in the Northern Command confirmed that the army continues to carry out daily strikes to prevent any attempts to approach the “yellow line” or create infrastructure that threatens Israel. These data confirm that the Israeli elections have turned, for the security establishment, into a sensitive security station that requires the utmost caution, especially on the Lebanese front, where the risks of kidnapping, infiltration, and offensive operations top the list.
