Israeli military top brass could TURN on Netanyahu, ex-commander says after spokesman breaks ranks with Hamas warning
ISRAEL’S military leaders could lose faith in the war against Hamas and soon turn on PM Benjamin Netanyahu, an ex-IDF commander has warned.
Former Brigadier General Shlomo Brom told The Sun that the top brass in the Israeli military are growing concerned that their progress in dismantling the terror group has been wasted.
The damming comments come after Netanyahu directly opposed the words of IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari.
Hagari made a surprising admission saying Hamas can’t be destroyed despite Israel’s constant bombardment.
He described Hamas as “an idea rooted in the hearts of people” rather than simply a group of twisted terrorists.
An angered Netanyahu hit back, saying the IDF is “obligated” to pursue “the destruction of Hamas’ military and governing capabilities”.
Mr Brom took the in-house argument as a clear sign that the IDF is at loggerheads with Netanyahu and his cabinet over the way the war is heading.
He told The Sun: “I think the IDF cannot have faith in a war plan because it doesn’t exist.
“There is no war plan, there is no strategy.
“A war plan is devised by presenting clear goals that are achievable. Netanyahu did not present such goals, because destroying Hamas is not a goal or a strategy.”
He continued by saying the main issue the IDF is thought to have is what happens after the war in Gaza ends.
Mr Brom claimed a “lack of strategy” is frustrating the senior IDF leadership.
He added: “From a military perspective they feel they have very good achievements, but it is going to waste because there is no strategy for after the war.
“Certainly, I think senior IDF leadership are frustrated with the lack of strategy. They are afraid that all of their military achievements will be wasted.”
Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza after Hamas’ October 7 attack, where 1,200 were killed.
The terrorists broke into the strip and attacked Kibbutzim in the south.
Israel responded with a set of systematic strikes that have dismantled much of Hamas’ military infrastructure.
Despite the elimination of many Hamas thugs, Israel is facing increasing international pressure to reach a ceasefire deal.
With the death toll in Gaza now passing 37,000, say Gaza Health Ministry figures.
BATTLE FOR POWER
Netanyahu has been battling to stay in power for the last few months after a Channel 12 poll found that just 32 per cent of Israelis approve of the country’s leadership.
Much of the criticism levelled at the PM has come from the families of the hostages still being held in Gaza.
People have been constantly pleading for a ceasefire to be arranged so the remaining hostages can be brought home.
In May, an IDF reservist posted a shock video addressing Netanyahu directly.
They warned of a potential mutiny if Gaza was allowed to return to any form of Palestinian leadership.
The reservist was later relieved of his duties.
Hamas is not the only Middle Eastern enemy of Israel with the terror group Hezbollah causing serious issues for the PM.
The Iran-backed militia based in Lebanon has exchanged rocket fire with the Israelis for months.
Israeli reports are now suggesting the IDF may launch an offensive in Lebanon in the coming months.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has said a decision is coming soon on the attack plans.
Katz posted on X: “We are getting very close to the moment of deciding on changing the rules of the game against Hezbollah and Lebanon.”
Despite a looming set of strikes looking all but certain, Mr Brom warned that the IDF will likely fail with their attacks.
He has labelled Hezbollah as a much tougher opponent than Hamas has been.
The Hezbollah army is widely seen as a more well-trained and experienced group with an abundance of rockets, drones and anti-tank missiles.
The ex-IDF commander said: “I don’t think Israel can achieve their military objectives in Lebanon whatever they are.
“We cannot stop the rockets. The maximum I think is possible is to capture the south of Lebanon.
“But that won’t stop the launch of rockets and drones into Israel.”
Mr Brom added that Hezbollah could possibly overwhelm Israel’s famed Iron Dome by firing thousands of rockets into the country at once.
He continued: “Another big problem is the question of whether the Israeli defence system can engage against the large number of drones and rockets that could be fired.
“When Iran launched 300 projectiles, we dealt with it. But, because of the proximity, Hezbollah can fire maybe thousands of rockets.
“That is a very strong challenge.”
It comes as Israel blasted a “repugnant” United Nations report claiming they had killed more than a dozen of its own people during the October 7 attacks.
The UN claims Israeli armed forces activated the “Hannibal Directive” which backs killing its soldiers to prevent them from becoming hostages.
The Israeli government angrily rejected the overall report, slamming the commission as “biased and tainted by a distinct anti-Israeli agenda”.
It went on to note that it ignored Hamas’s sadistic use of civilians as human shields.
The report “describes an alternate reality in which decades of terrorist attacks have been erased”, it said.
“There are no continuous missile attacks on Israeli citizens and there isn’t a democratic state defending itself against a terrorist assault.”
What is the Hannibal Directive?
THE Hannibal Directive is a controversial military policy of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) designed to respond to the potential capture of Israeli soldiers by enemy forces.
First introduced in 1986, the directive’s primary aim is to prevent the abduction of soldiers, even if it means risking their lives.
The policy includes the authorisation of extensive and aggressive measures, which might involve heavy firepower, to stop the capture at any cost.
The Hannibal Directive gained significant attention and controversy due to its perceived willingness to use potentially lethal force to avoid a situation where a soldier is taken hostage.
Critics argue that it places soldiers’ lives at excessive risk and may lead to civilian casualties in conflict zones.
Supporters claim it is necessary to prevent the strategic and psychological advantage that adversaries gain from capturing Israeli soldiers, which could lead to prisoner exchanges or other concessions.
Israeli forces have been on a rescue mission in recent weeks trying to save hostages still trapped in Gaza.
Heart-racing footage showed the moment Israeli troops stormed into a living room and into a darkened bedroom where they found three men sheltering together.
The daring mission carried out on Saturday saw Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) rescue Almog Meir Jan, 21, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 40.
Noa Argamani, the 26-year-old woman whose story made headlines in October after she was snatched by Hamas, was also saved on Saturday from a nearby site.
A hail of gunfire can be heard in the video as IDF troops smash open the apartment door, along with what appears to be children shouting and screaming in the background.
Shlomi, lying on a bed, holds his hands above his head in the footage as troops storm into the dark bedroom.
All four of the hostages were taken by Hamas on October 7 last year, when the terror group launched a brutal attack on the Nova music festival in Israel.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza claims 274 Palestinians were killed, including children, during the raid.