Defense minister says Israel must ‘widen the goals’ of war to return residents to the north

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday said Israel must expand its stated goals in the ongoing war in Gaza to include returning Israelis to their homes in the north after they were evacuated amid ongoing attacks by Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. 

In a strategic briefing and discussion with the IDF chief of the general staff and senior IDF officials, Gallant said Israel’s mission on the northern front was clear, "ensuring the safe return of the northern communities to their homes." 

"In order to achieve this, we must widen the goals of this war," Gallant said, adding that he plans to raise the issue before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Cabinet. 

Gallant said expanding Israel’s war aims "will not diminish our absolute commitment to dismantling Hamas and returning the hostages." 

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Hamas' Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel sparked the war in Gaza.

Hezbollah opened a second front against Israel a day later, and fighting across the Israel-Lebanon border has since escalated, threatening to ignite a regional conflict.

Many border towns in northern Israel were evacuated, and residents have yet to return.

At the meeting with top military officials, Gallant reviewed Israel's achievements so far in Gaza, where its aim is to topple the Islamist group Hamas and return Israeli hostages.

Reuters contributed to this report.