JERUSALEM - Israel's General of the Northern Command Ori Gordin said Thursday that the deployment for a major offensive against Hezbollah has been "completed".

Speaking in a ceremony to mark 18 years of the 2006 Lebanon War, which was fought between Israel and Hezbollah, mainly on Lebanese soil, Gordin said that the army's mission is "returning security to northern Israel".

"We don't have a choice but to continue the fight until achieving this mission," he said, adding that the preparations were completed over the past week.

Israel and Hezbollah have traded fire along the Israel-Lebanon border since Oct 7, 2023, but Israel has threatened to launch a full-fledged war against Hezbollah if calm is not restored.