Israeli minister: An attack on Lebanon would be a 'strategic error'

War Cabinet Minister Gadi Eisenkot said in an interview with the "Uvda" television program that a preemptive attack on Lebanon, which, according to him, would have been a strategic error was prevented. 

"We prevented a very wrong decision. If we had attacked in Lebanon, we would have realised Sinwar's strategic vision. Our presence there prevented the State of Israel from making a very serious strategic error," he added.

Eisenkot did not mention who in the Israeli war cabinet was pushing for a war with Lebanon. 

In the wide ranging interview Eisenkot added that the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's should take full responsibility for the October 7 attack.

"The prime minister is first, he is informed by both the IDF and the Shin Bet, and he was involved, I know his involvement in the construction of the fence and other involvement. He bears a sharp and clear responsibility. You don't need to take the responsibility, it is there," he said.

Eisenkot also appeared to criticise Netanyahu’s management of the ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza, suggesting that talk of complete victory over the terror group was unrealistic,

“Whoever speaks of absolute defeat is not speaking the truth,” Eisenkot said in the interview. “That is why we should not tell stories… Today, the situation already in the Gaza Strip is such that the goals of the war have not yet been achieved.”

Asked whether Israel’s current leadership is telling the public the truth, Eisenkot responded simply, “No,” and the new elections should be held to restore public trust in the government.