IDF Chief of the General Staff LTG Eyal Zamir on Thursday morning held a multi-front situational assessment with the General Staff Forum.
The assessment included an overview of the operational situation across all arenas and presented the IDF’s plans moving forward.
"We continue to fight on all fronts. The echoes of our strikes are heard all across the Middle East," Zamir began.
"The culture of debate is an inseparable part of the history of the Jewish people. It is a vital component of the IDF's overall culture - both internally and externally. We will continue to express our position without fear - in a professional, independent, and substantive manner. That is the expectation we have of our commanders as well. The responsibility lies here, at this very table.
"We are not dealing with theory - we are dealing with matters of life and death, in the defense of the country, and we do so while looking toward our soldiers and the civilians of Israel. We will continue to act with responsibility, integrity, and determination - with only the security and well-being of Israel in mind."
He added: "We are now approaching the final stages of Operation Gideon’s Chariots. We have met and even exceeded the operation’s objectives, and we continue to act to ensure long-term security for the communities of the south of Israel and near the Gaza Strip, as well as for communities along all of Israel’s borders."
"We now have the ability to establish a new security reality along the border, while maintaining continuous pressure on the enemy. We will no longer limit our response. We will remove threats in their early stages across all arenas and continue working to achieve our goals.
"Our intention is to defeat Hamas and continue to operate with our hostages at the forefront of our minds, we will do everything in our power to bring them home," he concluded.