By: Fern Sidman

On Tuesday, Israel’s Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, visited the Nachshonim base to oversee the mobilization of reservists in the 11th Brigade, a moment that symbolized both the operational readiness and the profound determination of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as the war grinds on. The visit, which took place alongside Brigadier General Yoav Brunner, Commander of the 99th Division, and the commander of the 11th Brigade, was part of an intensive effort to bolster troop morale and underscore the IDF’s escalating ground campaign in Gaza.

According to a report that appeared on Tuesday on Israel National News (INN), the Chief of Staff’s message was unambiguous: Israel is engaged in a total and unrelenting war against its enemies across the Middle East. “Our enemies, on October 7th and since then, united in their attempt to harm us and to destroy us,” Zamir said in remarks to assembled reservists and logistical personnel. “We are operating against all of them, constantly, with determination, without pause. We are striking them, dismantling them, defeating them, and we are prevailing over them.”

The war that began with Hamas’s brutal October 7th assault has since expanded into what many Israeli commentators, including those cited in the INN report, describe as an unprecedented multi-front conflict. The Chief of Staff emphasized that Israel is fighting “across the entire Middle East,” a reference not only to the battles raging in Gaza but also to ongoing confrontations with Hezbollah in the north, clashes with Iran-backed militias in Syria and Iraq, and the shadow war against Tehran’s Revolutionary Guard operatives.

“Hamas will have no place to hide from us,” Zamir declared. “Wherever we locate them, whether they are senior or junior figures — we strike them all, all the time.” His words echoed the IDF’s operational doctrine since October, which has combined relentless airstrikes with precision raids and now expanding ground incursions into areas of Gaza that had previously remained beyond the reach of Israeli boots.

INN reported that the decision to call up reservists to the 11th Brigade marked a significant intensification of Israel’s campaign. These troops are expected to reinforce the IDF’s maneuverability in dense urban terrain, preparing for extended combat in Gaza’s heartland while ensuring readiness against Hezbollah’s provocations along the Lebanese border.

The mobilization at Nachshonim was not only a logistical necessity but also a symbolic event. In a war already stretching close to two years, the IDF’s reliance on reservists underscores the broad societal commitment to the survival and security of Israel.

Chief of Staff Zamir spoke directly to this spirit, thanking the soldiers for answering the call so quickly and with such overwhelming numbers. “I want to tell you that nowhere does the IDF offer anything less than decisive victory. We will not stop the war until we defeat this enemy,” he said. His words, INN noted, were met with determination by the reservists, many of whom left their jobs, families, and civilian lives at a moment’s notice.

The logistical teams from the IDF’s Technological and Logistics Directorate played a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth reception of the mobilized forces. Their work—quiet and often overlooked—was also lauded by Zamir, who underscored that without such backline support, the frontlines could not operate with efficiency or confidence.

One of the most striking elements of Zamir’s remarks, highlighted in INN’s coverage, was his candid acknowledgment that the ground war is not merely being prepared but is already underway. “We have already begun the ground operation in Gaza — make no mistake,” he declared. “We are already entering places we have never entered before and operating there with courage, strength, valor, and an extraordinary spirit.”

This admission confirms what military analysts had observed in recent weeks: that Israeli forces are increasingly pushing into deeper layers of Gaza’s infrastructure, dismantling Hamas strongholds, and targeting underground tunnel networks in areas previously considered too fortified or politically sensitive to penetrate.

The statement also served as a message to the Israeli public and to international observers. Israel’s military leadership is not seeking half-measures or symbolic incursions. Rather, it is intent on reshaping the strategic balance in Gaza once and for all, regardless of the enormous human and political costs that such an undertaking entails.

Throughout his speech, Zamir reiterated that the IDF does not countenance partial success. The lesson of October 7th, he suggested, is that Israel’s enemies cannot be contained or deterred — they must be comprehensively defeated. “We will not stop the war until we defeat this enemy,” he said, making clear that any cessation of hostilities short of total victory would be unacceptable.

The report at Israel National News emphasized that Zamir’s declaration reflects a broader consensus within Israel’s security establishment. With the memory of the October massacres still raw and with dozens of hostages still in Hamas captivity, any outcome perceived as inconclusive would be politically untenable and strategically dangerous.

The Chief of Staff’s remarks also revealed his acute awareness of Israeli society’s expectations. “So rise and succeed — with great appreciation from me, from the entire IDF, and from all Israeli civilians,” he told the soldiers, explicitly linking their battlefield sacrifices to the collective resilience of the nation.

Zamir’s appearance at Nachshonim comes amid a series of escalations across multiple fronts. In recent weeks, Hezbollah has intensified its attacks on northern Israel, including drone and missile strikes targeting civilian communities. Simultaneously, Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria have launched UAVs toward Israeli targets, while Yemen’s Houthis continue to disrupt maritime trade in the Red Sea, often with Iranian-supplied weaponry.

According to the information provided in the INN report, Zamir’s statement that Israel is operating “across the entire Middle East” should be understood in this light. The IDF is not only waging a direct campaign in Gaza but also conducting covert and overt operations against Iranian proxies throughout the region. These actions are designed to prevent the war from metastasizing into a full-scale regional conflagration while sending a clear message to Tehran: Israel retains the initiative.

While the military campaign dominates headlines, the mobilization of reservists is also a deeply human story. Thousands of Israelis, men and women alike, have been pulled from civilian life to don uniforms once more. Many are parents with young children, professionals with demanding careers, or students whose studies have been abruptly suspended.

INN frequently highlights the sacrifices of these reservists, noting the strain placed on families who must navigate weeks or months of separation, financial uncertainty, and constant anxiety over the safety of their loved ones. Yet the turnout has remained overwhelming, a testament to what Zamir himself called the “extraordinary spirit” of Israeli society.

The reservists’ presence also reinforces a sense of national unity at a time when internal divisions—political, social, and religious—had been threatening to tear Israel apart before October 7th. The shared burden of war has, at least temporarily, bridged these divides, creating a renewed sense of collective purpose.

The scene at Nachshonim base was emblematic of the larger struggle Israel faces in what many now call the nation’s most critical war since 1948. For the IDF’s Chief of Staff, the gathering was an opportunity to articulate both the enormity of the challenge and the unwavering resolve with which Israel intends to confront it.

As Israel National News reported, Zamir’s words were not just about tactics or logistics. They were about identity, survival, and destiny. “Nowhere does the IDF offer anything less than decisive victory,” he told the reservists, encapsulating the ethos of a military — and a nation — determined to prevail against all odds.

For the families of the soldiers, the logistical teams, and the reservists themselves, the war is lived in daily sacrifices and quiet acts of courage. For the nation, it is experienced in the collective insistence that Israel’s enemies will not dictate its future. And for Zamir and his commanders, it is about ensuring that history records this conflict as the moment when Israel not only endured but emerged stronger, more unified, and more resolute.