Majority of Israelis support preemptive strike on Hezbollah despite risk of war, reveals poll

​​A majority of Israelis support launching a preemptive strike on Hezbollah, even at the risk of escalating into a war, according to a poll published today by Maariv newspaper.

The poll reveals that 60 per cent of respondents favour an attack against Hezbollah, despite the potential for a war, while 20 per cent oppose the move due to fears of heightened instability in the region.

Ignited by the Gaza war, tensions between Israel and Hezbollah intensified significantly this week, with Hezbollah suffering an unprecedented attack in which pagers and walkie-talkies used by its members exploded, killing 37 people and wounding thousands.

Multiple media outlets reported that Israel placed small explosive charges inside imported pager devices before they reached Lebanon and then, this week, detonated them remotely.

The explosions have heightened tensions between Israel and Hezbollah amid the ongoing Gaza conflict, where over 41,300 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed since October

Asked about Israel’s political make-up, the poll reflected divided opinions on the potential dismissal of Defence Minister Yoav Galant. A small majority, 52 per cent, oppose replacing Galant with Gideon Sa’ar, leader of the right-wing New Hope Party, whereas 24 per cent support the idea and 24 per cent are undecided.

It also revealed no significant shifts in parliamentary seat distribution, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party remaining in the lead with 24 seats, followed by Benny Gantz’s National Unity Party with 21 seats.

The results indicate that Netanyahu’s bloc would secure 52 seats, while the opposition, excluding Arab parties, would hold 59 seats. Naftali Bennett’s potential party is projected to win 21 seats, mirroring previous predictions.

The survey also showed Netanyahu’s personal standing as prime minister recovering, with respondents favouring him over any alternative candidate apart from former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who is now out of politics.

READ: Israel targeted top Hezbollah figure in Beirut strike, sources say