Israeli Defense Minister: We are fighting an axis, not a single enemy

Gallant said, in an interview with the American newspaper “The Wall Street Journal”:

• October 7 was the bloodiest day for the Jewish people since 1945.
• The scale and severity of the Hamas attack severely shook Israelis' sense of security and profoundly changed the way they view the world around them.
• The seriousness of the threat lies behind the ferocity of the Israeli response and its determination not only to destroy Iran-backed Hamas, but to act forcefully enough to deter other potential adversaries allied with Tehran, including Hezbollah in Lebanon.
• My basic point is that we are fighting an axis, not a single enemy.
• Iran is building its military power around Israel in order to use it.

• Israeli forces will move from the intensive maneuver phase of warfare towards different types of special operations.
• The next chapter of the conflict will last longer, and Israel will not abandon its goals of destroying Hamas, ending its control of Gaza, and freeing the remaining hostages.
• We are close to the next phase in the north, including Gaza City.
• We have to take into account the huge number of civilians. Military tactics will need to be adjusted, and it will take some time, but we will not give up.