IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi conducted a situational assessment and approved plans on Wednesday in the Northern Command, along with the Commanding Officer of the Northern Command, Major General Ori Gordin, and other commanders.
"Our first task is to safely return the residents, and this will take time," Halevi stated.
"Today, we approved plans for a variety of contingencies, and we need to be prepared to strike if required. The IDF and, within it, the Northern Command are in a state of very high readiness. So far, the campaign here has been managed correctly and meticulously, and it must continue this way," he added.
The Chief of staff concluded: "We will not return the residents without both security and a sense of security."