Israel’s War of Redemption is not nearing its end, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir warned Monday, telling senior commanders that the country must remain prepared for continued multi-front combat through the end of 2026.

Speaking at a military conference at the Israeli Air Force’s Ramat David Base, Zamir said the IDF has been engaged in an ongoing regional war since the Hamas-led massacre of Oct. 7, 2023.

“We continue to remain prepared and vigilant for any scenario in all sectors,” he said, stressing that Israel is still operating across multiple fronts.

The warning reflects the strategic reality Israel has faced for more than two years: Gaza is not isolated from Lebanon, Lebanon is not isolated from Iran, and Iran is not merely a distant sponsor. It is the organizing center of a regional war machine built around pressure, attrition, and encirclement–and all with a single end goal: the demise of the Jewish state.

Zamir said the IDF has developed a new security doctrine since Oct. 7, including the establishment of buffer zones near vulnerable communities in both the north and south. Israel, he said, must be prepared to remain in those areas until long-term security for border communities is guaranteed.

That is the lesson of Oct. 7 in plain Hebrew: promises are not defenses. Depth, control, and deterrence are.

See related: Time to expand Israel’s borders, insists Smotrich

Zamir also linked ongoing diplomatic efforts with Iran, Lebanon, and Hamas to the battlefield achievements of Israeli forces.

Regarding Iran, Zamir praised Operation Roaring Lion, saying Israel had achieved “unprecedented accomplishments” and removed emerging existential threats. He also highlighted the close military cooperation with the United States, describing the joint operation as extraordinarily synchronized.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing the conference, focused on Lebanon and Hezbollah, saying Israel retains freedom of action to foil both immediate and emerging threats. He noted that Hezbollah’s long-range rocket array had been severely degraded and that the group now retains roughly 10% of the missiles it had at the start of the war.

Still, Netanyahu warned that Hezbollah’s remaining rockets and drones continue to threaten northern residents.

The sober conclusion drawn by both men is that while Israel has achieved much, the war is not over.

The enemy still has rockets. Iran still has proxies. And Israelis still have communities to defend.

Israel continues to fight its war of redemption.

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