Israel has made the safe return of its northern residents an official war objective, according to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. This decision was made by Netanyahu’s security cabinet late Monday. Approximately 60,000 people have been evacuated from northern Israel due to frequent attacks by Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and based in neighboring Lebanon.

The updated war goals now include securing the return of these residents. The statement from the prime minister’s office emphasized that Israel will persist in its efforts to achieve this objective.

Earlier on Monday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant asserted that restoring residents to their homes would require military action, particularly due to Hezbollah’s ongoing aggression and its ties to Hamas. Gallant’s remarks were made during a meeting with US envoy Amos Hochstein.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has cautioned against further escalation, advocating for a ceasefire and urging diplomatic negotiations. Austin highlighted the severe consequences of continued conflict for Israel, Lebanon, and the broader region.

Hezbollah, a Shia Muslim group with significant political and military influence in Lebanon, has not publicly responded to the latest developments.

This new directive from Israel broadens the country’s initial war goals, which include the elimination of Hamas and its military capabilities, securing the release of hostages taken during the October 7 attack, and neutralizing the threat posed by the Gaza Strip.

The conflict escalated on October 8, 2023, when Hezbollah began firing at Israeli positions in support of the Palestinians, just one day after Hamas’s devastating attack on Israel, which resulted in around 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken to Gaza. Since then, over 41,220 people have been reported killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.