What kind of strange demand is it to call for a “return to war”? What kind of unsettling notion is this, among people who have only just emerged from shelters after nearly two months underground and are finally beginning to enjoy the first signs of a return to normal life? But if there is one lesson the residents of northern Israel have learned — and expect the country’s leadership to learn as well — it is that we cannot live here if we seek only quiet, rather than security.
Life under “quiet,” the kind we experienced for 17 years until Hezbollah’s attack during the Swords of Iron war, can no longer continue. The deep understanding among the tens of thousands who could have been massacred by Radwan Force fighters is that only security can bring real calm — not the kind that lulls and numbs.
It was this understanding that led the IDF to launch Operation Northern Arrows to destroy Hezbollah, push it away from the border and disarm it. And yet, despite this understanding, the war was halted in November 2024 before achieving all its objectives, mainly under pressure from the Biden administration and the UN Security Council. Then Donald Trump returned, the fighting in the north resumed after Hezbollah joined the war against Iran — and that, too, was cut short before changing the threatening reality we face.
No one was surprised by Hezbollah’s serious violations of the ceasefire in recent days. Residents of the region were certain the organization would use the pause to prepare for the next round of fighting and enter it more ready and determined. The feeling is that the IDF is trying to obscure, blur and blind us regarding the renewed threat. The crisis of trust that has emerged is deepening, and it is painful and dangerous. On social media, northern residents now respond with cynicism to IDF Spokesperson statements about “false interceptions,” and are no longer surprised when it is later acknowledged that Hezbollah once again fired at our forces, endangering soldiers and those living near the border.
In a reality of zero warning time, we are all at risk — and we are not prepared to remain silent. During two months of fighting, the phrase “false alarm” was rarely heard here. The fear is that, with its return, we will also return to “false concerns,” the term used to dismiss warnings about the sounds of tunnel digging, and to “false cries,” as they were called when we demanded security.
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Nahal Brigade operations in southern Lebanon during the ceasefire
(Photo: Elisha Ben Kimon)
Hezbollah’s presence in southern Lebanon poses an immediate and strategic threat to our lives. Any area that contains both terrorists and soldiers is one in which attempts will be made again and again to strike us using the surest card to bring us to our knees — the kidnapping of a soldier.
Only from a position of victory
We seek peace. We have no quarrel with the Lebanese people across the border. We wish we could live alongside them in good neighborly relations, visit and share a meal — as the clichés go. But it is clear to us that such peace can only be achieved from a position of strength and victory. We are not eager for war, but after the events of Oct. 7, 2023, we understand that only through force and, if necessary, war can we achieve security — and perhaps also peace.
Senior IDF officials understand our concerns. I am certain the government does as well. So speak to us honestly. Acknowledge our fears, our hopes and our demands, and present the truth. Admit that this ceasefire is fragile. Assure us that you will not become complacent, nor lull us into complacency, in the face of Hezbollah’s efforts to rebuild. After all, you were already surprised by their determination during the previous “ceasefire” year that ended not long ago, in February.
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Brigade 769 activity in the village of Davin, southern Lebanon
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
Admit what we already understand: that the current round, even if paused, has not truly been completed, and that we will be required to return to it — hopefully sooner rather than later, before Hezbollah can regain strength. Set clear objectives, including for the enemy, and stand by them.
Do not once again boast that “Lebanon will be sent back to the Stone Age,” but present the enemy with the heaviest price it could pay — not the “elimination of its operatives,” who believe they are destined for paradise, but the permanent loss of territory.
Strike at the most sensitive point imaginable. Israel must break free from its old assumptions.