“Israeli” army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi vowed Wednesday “find, strike” the newly selected head of Hamas political bureau Yahya Sinwar and “[cause Hamas] to replace him once more.”

Speaking to Air Force personnel at Tel Nof airbase, Halevi said “Israel” is on high alert and will be able to respond quickly to any attack – amid an anticipated Iranian attack along with its allies after the two consecutive assassinations of the former political leader of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah military chief Fuad Shukr in Beirut.

“We will be able to launch a very quick attack anywhere in Lebanon, anywhere in Gaza, anywhere in the Middle East, above ground and below ground…We will send a very clear message to our enemies, those who attack us, those who in every speech talk about how they seek to destroy the State of Israel. We will strike them, and we will continue to grow stronger,” Halevi said.

On Sinwar’s new role in Hamas, Halevi said that the new change in Hamas leadership “will not absolve him of the fact that he is a murderer who was involved in the entire planning and execution of what happened on October 7”.

“The change in his title not only won’t prevent us from seeking him out — it spurs us on. We will make an effort to find him, strike him, and [cause Hamas to] replace the head of the political bureau once more,” Halevi declared.