Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to blame the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for the failed operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon, sources say, reports the Israel Hayom (IH) portal.

"These disputes are only the tip of the iceberg of a growing sense within the IDF and the Israeli security establishment that Netanyahu is looking for a ‘scapegoat’ to be held responsible for the disappointing results in Lebanon and the partial results in Iran," the report says.

The portal's sources also link the Israeli prime minister's recent statement, in which he ordered strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon despite the current ceasefire, to an attempt to blame the IDF. However, according to the portal’s interlocutors, this is a purely political ploy to mitigate public discontent, since the instructions received by the IDF have remained virtually unchanged.

"IDF officials clarified that the strike was not unusual, and certainly was not ‘forceful.’ According to the senior officials, it was carried out ‘within the rules of the game,’ with the IDF careful to operate only in southern Lebanon and in areas without civilians," writes IH.

According to its sources, the differences between the Israeli military and the country's leadership are deepening. It is added that Netanyahu may also blame the Mossad intelligence service for the failure in Iran.

Netanyahu's office reported on April 25 that the Israeli prime minister ordered the IDF to strike Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. This decision was made in response to missiles and drones fired at Israeli troops in northern Israel and southern Lebanon. At the time, the Israeli army reported strikes on targets in the south of the country.