The military leadership has said it prefers a new cease-fire instead of renewed fighting, and the military’s chief of staff previously raised concerns about troop exhaustion.

BERLIN (Reuters) -The German government will not approve any exports to Israel of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday in response to Israel's plan to expand its military operations there.

But after defeating Hezbollah in Lebanon, helping to bring about the fall of the Assad regime in Syria and delivering a devastating set of blows against its arch enemy Iran, Israel has confirmed its status as a regional superpower, capable of taking on and defeating multiple enemies.