Israel Defense Force (IDF) Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi has warned Hezbollah that a ground offensive is imminent, stating that Israeli soldiers' "military boots will enter enemy territory," Times of Israel reported.
Halevi's remarks came after Hezbollah fired a missile at central Israel on early Wednesday and Israel responded with airstrikes, which have killed 569 people and wounded 1,835 others, Al Jazeera reported.
During a drill simulating the invasion, Halevi addressed soldiers of the 7th Armored Brigade, as per Times of Israel.
"You can hear the planes above, we are attacking all day. Both to prepare the area for the possibility of your entry [into Lebanon], and also to continue causing blows to Hezbollah," Halevi said.
"Hezbollah today expanded its [range] of fire. Later today, it will receive a very strong response," he vows, after the terror group fired a missile at central Israel this morning.
"Today we will continue, we do not stop, we continue to attack and continue to strike them everywhere. The goal is a very clear goal, to return the [displaced] residents of the north safely," Halevi continues.
"To do this, we are preparing the [ground] maneuver," he says to the soldiers.
Highlighting his strategy of invasion, Halevi said, "Your military boots will enter enemy territory, enter villages that Hezbollah has prepared as large military outposts, with underground infrastructure, staging points, and launchpads into our territory [from which Hezbollah intends] to carry out attacks on Israeli civilians."