US general shown Israel’s plans for Lebanon, IDF says
The commander of U.S. Central Command was presented with Israel Defense Forces (IDF) "operational plans for Lebanon" during his weekend visit, the IDF said.
Gen. Michael Kurilla met with the Chief of Israel's General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi for a "situational assessment" and visited the Northern Command, which is responsible for the frontiers with Lebanon and Syria.
The general's visit had "an emphasis on threats from Lebanon and Iran in the northern arena," the IDF wrote on social media.
Kurilla met with Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin -- Northern Command's commanding officer -- "conducted a situational assessment in the command's underground operations center and received an operational briefing, during which he was presented with the IDF's operational plans for Lebanon," the force said.
Cross border skirmishes between the IDF and Hezbollah -- which is aligned with Iran -- have been near constant since Oct. 8, 2023, the uptick in fighting prompted by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel and the subsequent IDF response.
Israeli leaders have threatened a significant military operation into southern Lebanon unless Hezbollah withdraws its forces north of the Litani River, some 18 miles north of the shared border.
-ABC News' Jordana Miller and David Brennan