IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi announced on Tuesday a strategic expansion of military operations into southern and central Gaza, following significant progress in dismantling Hamas battalions in the northern part of the Strip. However, he cautioned that the war is expected to last “many more months.”

In a press conference hed in southern Israel, Halevi detailed the successes of the IDF thus far: “We eliminated many terrorists and commanders, some of them surrendered to our forces and we took hundreds of prisoners. We destroyed many underground infrastructures and weapons,” he said. Despite these achievements, Halevi acknowledged the challenges in dense urban warfare: “In this dense urban area, where terrorists are dressed as civilians, it cannot be said that we killed all of them.”

Halevi also pushed back against recent political criticisms about the IDF’s approach, particularly from Economy Minister Nir Barkat, assuring that the IDF’s operations are precise and well-supported: “The IDF is focused and precise in its operations. Wherever our forces attack, they are accompanied by heavy fire from the air, sea and land.”

Addressing the ongoing war, Halevi explained, “This war has necessary and not easy goals to achieve, it takes place in complex territory. That’s why the war will continue for many more months, and we will work with different methods, so that the achievement will be maintained for a long time,” he said, adding that the IDF is constantly learning and adapting its fighting methods to each area of the Gaza Strip it operates in.

“There are no magic solutions, no shortcuts in the thorough dismantling of a terror organization, but stubborn and determined fighting. And we are very, very determined,” Halevi said.

“It was correct to set high goals” he continued, “and we will reach high [achievements]. We assessed from the start that it would take many months, and we believe that our assessments are accurate. Therefore, the timescale will be lengthy. At the end, will we be able to say ‘There are no more enemies around Israel?’ I think that’s too ambitious. But we will bring about a different security situation, and as much stability as we can.”

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