On October 8, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officially announced the deployment of thousands of additional soldiers from its 4th Division to Lebanon, signaling a significant escalation in their ground operations against Hezbollah. According to reports, this move could increase the Israeli troop presence in Lebanon to over 20,000, a notable rise from the initial numbers observed at the start of ground operations last week.

The Financial Times highlighted that the IDF confirmed sending its 4th operational division to southern Lebanon, reinforcing the Israeli military’s footprint in the area. While the IDF has not disclosed specific troop counts, estimates suggest that a division could include as many as 10,000 personnel.

In light of these developments, Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem reiterated the group’s determination to continue their fight. He committed to appointing a successor to their recently deceased leader, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike last month. Qassem asserted, “I want to assure you: our attack capabilities remain intact.” He characterized the ongoing conflict as a struggle of endurance, stating, “This is a war about who can withstand without crying out first, and we will not.”

Interestingly, Qassem also conveyed Hezbollah’s support for diplomatic initiatives aimed at establishing a ceasefire in Lebanon. He notably avoided insisting that a ceasefire in Gaza be a condition for stopping hostilities against Israel, which marks a shift from previous positions that linked negotiations to a truce in Gaza. This change has led to speculation among analysts regarding Hezbollah’s future strategy.