Israel is ready for a highly intense response against Hezbollah, backed by Iran, as tensions escalate.

In response to Hezbollah's ongoing rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the Jewish state is ready for a very intense action in the north.

From an Israeli military base in Kiryat Shmona, Netanyahu declared, "We promised at the start of the war to restore security in both the south and the north, and that's what we're doing. Today, I'm on the northern border with our brave fighters and commanders, as well as our firefighters. Yesterday, the ground burned here, and I'm glad you put it out, but the ground also burned in Lebanon."

The Israeli leader stated, "Anyone who believes they can harm us and we will retaliate by remaining passive is making a grave error. We are fully prepared for a highly intense response in the north. Regardless of the circumstances, we will ensure the restoration of security in the region."

Since Oct. 7, over 80,000 Israelis have fled the border regions due to Hezbollah's escalation of hostilities against Israel. This week, parts of northern Israel were engulfed in flames after a devastating attack by the terror group.

From the start, Israel planned to address the Gaza Strip and then move on to the north, according to Brig. Gen. (Res) Amir Avivi, a former deputy commander of the Israel Defense Forces' Gaza Division, who spoke to Planet Chronicle Digital.

According to U.N. resolution 1701, the main missions in Rafah will end in the coming weeks. Most of the troops will be sent north, and if Hezbollah does not retreat, there will be a threat to them. If there is no American leadership threatening Hezbollah or Iran, and no international pressure, Israel will have to attack and do a ground incursion into south Lebanon while destroying most of Hezbollah's long-range capabilities.

Avivi, the founder of IDSF, claims that the United Nations and the West have been unable to enforce U.N. resolution 1701, which mandates that Hezbollah disarm. He argues that Hezbollah is taking advantage of the West's inability to threaten them, exploiting their weakness.

According to the World Factbook of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, Reuters reported that Hezbollah is believed to possess over 150,000 missiles and rockets. Reuters stated that Hezbollah claims to have rockets capable of striking all areas of Israel. While many of the rockets are unguided, Hezbollah also possesses precision missiles, drones, and anti-tank, anti-aircraft, and anti-ship missiles.

Avivi stated, "This war will not resemble Gaza as it will be a brief conflict due to both sides' inability to sustain the devastation that would result. As a result, the attack will be intense. Hezbollah is likely to target Haifa and Tel Aviv, among other cities. I predict that this war will last for approximately a month and a half. Afterward, Israel will occupy the entire southern region of Lebanon, establishing the conditions for the return of citizens."

On Wednesday, the U.S. embassy in Beirut issued a warning to its citizens to avoid traveling to certain areas near the Lebanon-Israel border, the Lebanon-Syria border, and refugee settlements following a shooting attack in the vicinity.

Two full-scale wars have been fought by Israel against Hezbollah in Lebanon, occurring in 1982 and 2006.

On Tuesday, U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated that the U.S. does not support a full war with Hezbollah, but Israel has the right to defend itself from Hezbollah's attacks. Hezbollah is a terrorist organization that has been launching attacks against Israel for years, and so Israel has the right to defend itself and deal with the threat.

Israeli leaders prefer a diplomatic solution to the displacement of tens of thousands of its citizens from their homes, and that is the solution we are trying to pursue.

Leading experts on Hezbollah, who were born in Lebanon, were interviewed by Planet Chronicle Digital.

According to Edy Cohen, an Israeli expert on Lebanon and Hezbollah who works at the Eitan Center, Hezbollah has consistently stated that it will aid the Gaza front and will not cease shelling Israel until the war in Gaza ends. In Cohen's opinion, the Israeli strategy has been unsuccessful because it did not hold Lebanon accountable for its role in the Gaza conflict.

While European countries, such as France, consider the Lebanese state distinct from Hezbollah, many experts, including Cohen, view the Iran-backed Hezbollah as the true power in control of the small Mediterranean state.

Yoav Gallant, Israel's Defense Minister, repeatedly threatened Hezbollah and Lebanon that "We will return them to the stone age" in Lebanon, but Cohen stated that the issue lies in the fact that Gallant's threats are merely "words."

Cohen stated that Israel should expand the war to Beirut beyond the south of Lebanon, as he believes Israel will target the city. Cohen pointed out that Hezbollah has sustained numerous hits from Israel's military, resulting in the deaths of over 330 terrorists, the loss of many arms and munitions, and the evacuation of over 100,000 people from the south of Lebanon. Despite their suffering, the Lebanese people do not speak out because they are not a democratic country.

If Hezbollah discovers that the Lebanese are complaining, they may be killed or beaten, according to Cohen.

According to Dr. Walid Phares, a Lebanese-American academic expert on the Mideast, Hezbollah's attacks on Israel are closely linked to Iran's regime. Hezbollah is not fighting Israel on its own, but rather, it is being used by the Islamic Republic to wage war against Israel. This is a very close relationship, with every rocket launched at Israel coming from Tehran's orders. Hezbollah is fully integrated into the Iran regime's command.

Phares stated that the Iranian clerical regime in Tehran is indifferent to the destruction in Lebanon.

Phares, a former advisor to U.S. presidential candidates, stated that the Lebanese government is controlled by Hezbollah. He suggested that Israel and the U.S. should "change the game" by supporting a resistance movement within Lebanon, where Lebanese people would rise against Hezbollah. This would put pressure on Hezbollah and require two things: an Israeli decision to engage with the Lebanese people and support from the Biden administration for anti-Hezbollah forces inside Lebanon.

The State Department was contacted by Planet Chronicle Digital for a comment on whether the U.S. will take action to enforce resolution 1701 and impose new sanctions on Hezbollah through the U.N.

Reuters and THE Associated Press contributed to this report.