A senior Israeli army officer told reservists deployed along the Lebanon border that the current northern campaign could last for several weeks, signaling a significant escalation in Israel’s operations against Hezbollah.

“The clock is ticking differently this time. The expectation is that the war in the north and the efforts to eliminate and strike Hezbollah could last for weeks,” the officer said during a closed-door briefing for reserve forces in the eastern sector of the Lebanon border. 

He added that the campaign may continue “until the holiday of Shavuot,” which begins on May 26.

The briefing outlined the Israeli army’s two-stage strategy: first targeting Hezbollah’s central leadership and infrastructure, described as the “head of the octopus,” and then moving to dismantle the organization’s broader operational arms, which are financed and coordinated by Iran.

“Our mission is one: defend the northern communities and the country’s border,” the officer said, according to reporting by Yedioth Ahronoth.

Israeli officials, including Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, have indicated readiness for a protracted campaign beyond the Passover holiday. Additional forces have been deployed north in recent days, with reservists told: “We will remain here for as long as required. Our mission is ongoing and not limited to any particular timeframe.”

The Israeli army has reportedly shifted from a largely defensive posture to a forward-defense strategy, pushing the fighting into designated “red zones” inside southern Lebanon to protect Israeli border communities and limit civilian disruption. Golani Brigade units deployed in the northern sector are expected to be reinforced by Nahal and Paratrooper units, expanding Israeli control up to seven to nine kilometers inside Lebanese territory ahead of a potential larger ground operation.