Herzi Halevi with municipal leaders from northern Israel
Herzi Halevi with municipal leaders from northern IsraelIDF spokesperson

IDF Chief of the General Staff LTG Herzi Halevi, along with the Commanding Officer of the Northern Command, the Commanding Officer of the Home Front Command and the Head of the Planning Directorate, met Wednesday with heads of northern municipalities and councils, including Kiryat Shmona, the Upper Galilee, Mevo'ot Hahermon, Ma’ale Yosef, and Shlomi.

Halevi began: "Nothing symbolizes victory more than the safe return of residents, and we will make this journey together. We are targeting the infrastructure that Hezbollah has been building since 2006 with maximum strength, ensuring it won’t reemerge."

"It doesn’t end with this; we are continuing with determination and strength. I meet the troops in the field, proud to be fighting for the noble goal of bringing the residents home safely. We need to prepare organized plans and ensure it will be better here than it was before the war."

He stressed, "We have the right to defend ourselves, and in any diplomatic agreement that might be, if there are violations, the IDF will enforce them with fire. Throughout the war, the level of coordination and cooperation between the IDF and the local authorities has been among the highest we have ever seen."