Israel in a war for ‘right to be free in our land,’ IDF chief says

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi says Israel’s ongoing “complex, multi-front war,” is a war “for our right to be a free people in our land.”

“For a year now, we have been in the midst of a complex, multi-front war, with many significant and extensive achievements. Many challenges still lie ahead. IDF soldiers are deployed and fighting with strength on all fronts without stopping,” Halevi writes in a missive to troops.

“This is a long war, measured not only by capabilities, but also by the willpower and perseverance over time. For our enemies – every month, every week, and every day is worse than the one before. Even after the campaign ends, we will need to maintain our achievements, and our enemies will know, beyond any doubt, there will be no revival for those who seek to destroy us,” he continues.

“A year has passed since October 7th, the day we failed in our mission to protect the citizens of the State of Israel. We are now in the Ten Days of Repentance. October 7th is not only a day of remembrance, but also a call for deep introspection. A recognition of our failures and a commitment to learning from them, while assessing the challenges, both those we have faced and those that still await us,” Halevi says.

“A year has passed, and we have defeated the military wing of Hamas, and we continue to fight against the organization’s terrorist capabilities; We have dealt a severe blow to Hezbollah, which has lost all of its senior leadership. We are not stopping – we fight, debrief, learn, and improve. We are taking an offensive, tactical, and proactive approach on all fronts, adapting our defensive strategies on all borders, and understanding that the IDF must be a greater army that takes good care of its people. We are destroying our enemies’ capabilities, and we will ensure that these capabilities are not rebuilt, so that October 7th is never repeated,” the missive continues.

“Many challenges still lie ahead in achieving the war’s objectives – defeating the enemy, returning the hostages – an urgent mission of the highest moral value – and returning the civilians to their homes,” he says.

“At the start of the new year, let us remember and remind ourselves and our enemies – this is a war for our right to be a free people in our land, as well as for our values, beliefs, and the righteousness of our path. We will persevere, and we will win,” Halevi adds.