Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot declared Wednesday at the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense committee that "removing Iran from Syria and reducing its influence in areas near Israel's borders is of primary importance and is no less significant than defeating ISIS."
Eizenkot added that in the 11 years which have passed since the second Lebanon war, Israel has dramatically upgraded its intelligence and operational capabilities and now "we have capabilities which were never existent." He accused Hezbollah of repeated violations of resolution 1702 of the UN Security Council and of conducting military activity under the guise of civilian activity in South Lebanon.