JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israel announced the expansion of its war aims on Tuesday, widening its nearly year-long fight against Hamas in Gaza to focus on Hezbollah along its northern border with Lebanon.

The announcement came with United States (US) Secretary of State Antony Blinken due back in the region this week to try to revive stalled ceasefire talks for the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

Until now, Israel’s objectives have been to crush Hamas and to bring home the hostages taken by Palestinian militants during the 7 October attacks that sparked the war.

While the focus of the war has been on Gaza, the unabating exchanges of fire between Israeli troops and Hamas ally Hezbollah in Lebanon have forced tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border to flee their homes.

“The political-security cabinet updated the goals of the war this evening, so that they include the following section: the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.

Not formally declared as a war, the exchanges of fire between Israeli troops and Hezbollah have killed hundreds of mostly fighters in Lebanon, and dozens of civilians and soldiers on the Israeli side.

The Israeli announcement came a day after Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said “military action” was the “only way left to ensure the return of Israel’s northern communities.”

‘Fundamental change’

Hezbollah, which like Hamas is backed by Israel’s regional arch-foe Iran, claimed a dozen attacks on Israeli positions on Monday and three more on Tuesday.

Israel’s military said it struck “terrorist” targets in Lebanon.

“The possibility for an agreement is running out as Hezbollah continues to tie itself to Hamas,” Gallant was quoted as telling visiting US envoy Amos Hochstein in a statement from his office.

Netanyahu later told Hochstein he was seeking a “fundamental change” in the security situation on Israel’s northern border.

Hezbollah deputy chief Naim Qassem said at the weekend that his group had “no intention of going to war” but that “there will be large losses on both sides” in the event of all-out conflict.