IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi presented the IDF's new new multi-year security plan at a press conference Thursday, warning that the greatest threats to Israel's security would come from Iranian backed forces in the north.
"Israel's central strategic challenge lies in the northern arena," Gen. Kochavi told reporters. "At the heart of it are the entrenchment of Iranian and other forces in Syria and the precision missile project. In both situations, this is an Iranian-led effort, using the territory of countries with extremely weak governments," he said.
"For many years, Hezbollah has held the Lebanese state 'captive', established its own army, and is the one that actually determines the country's 'security policy.'
Kochavi stated that the IDF would not ignore the threats in the south. "Israel is currently dealing with multiple arenas and enemies simultaneously,"
"In the northern and southern arenas, the situation is tense and fragile and may deteriorate into conflict - despite the fact that our enemies are not interested in war. As a result, the IDF has been accelerating its preparation process in recent months."