Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Wednesday claimed that half of Hezbollah's commanders in southern Lebanon have been killed by the Israeli military.

The remarks were made following a visit to the Israeli army’s Northern Command in Safad, where Gallant held an assessment with the chief of the command, Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, and other top officers.

"Half of the Hezbollah commanders in south Lebanon have been eliminated... and half of them are in hiding and abandoning south Lebanon to IDF (Israeli army) operations," Gallant alleged.

He says Israel's main goal in its north is to return the tens of thousands of displaced Israelis to their homes, amid Hezbollah's daily attacks.

"We are dealing with a number of alternatives in order to establish this matter, and the coming period will be decisive in this regard," Gallant said.