Yigal Malka, a commentator, argued Thursday that former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot's 2019 declaration that Hezbollah's tunnel project had been thwarted was a symptom of overconfidence that harmed Israel's security, comparing it to the same mindset that led to the underestimation of Hamas before October 7.
Yigal Malka, a commentator, published a critical assessment Thursday of former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot's record regarding the Hezbollah tunnel threat. Malka noted that in 2019, after retiring, Eisenkot joined the INSS think tank and stated that Israel had clear intelligence that Hezbollah's tunnel project had been thwarted. Malka argued this declaration reflected overconfidence and hubris — the same mindset, he claimed, that led senior officers to tell the political echelon that Hamas was 'deterred' ahead of the October 7, 2023 attack. Malka's assessment, shared via a Telegram post, is part of a broader public debate in Israel about the security establishment's pre-war evaluations. The post is an opinion piece and does not include a response from Eisenkot or his associates. As The Zioneer has previously reported, Eisenkot has advocated for a more aggressive strategy against Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the IDF has since located and destroyed multiple Hezbollah tunnels.
- StrongEisenkot: Netanyahu should have said 'I was wrong,' not peddled false hopes
- DevelopingEisenkot: Hezbollah disarmament and demilitarization of south Lebanon 'far from achievement' after deal
- DevelopingKatz: IDF thwarting Hezbollah tunnels, destroying terror infrastructure near Lebanon border fence
- DevelopingEisenkot: We haven't finished the Gaza mission, must topple Hamas regime
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