The war is not over – the bloodiest battles are yet to come; "Prepare yourselves!"

“New plans are on the table. Major operations still lie ahead. Be prepared,” Zamir said in a brief address, according to The Times of Israel.

He added that he had decided to abandon his prepared speech after those in attendance had already heard remarks from Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Defense Minister Israel Katz.

“You’ve completed captivity training, which also prepared you for this ceremony,” Zamir joked to the graduating pilots, referring to the lengthy speeches delivered by the country's leaders.

According to his prepared remarks, which he ultimately chose not to deliver, Zamir was expected to say that hundreds of Israeli Air Force aircraft had been on standby over the past several weeks, ready for “immediate takeoff,” while the military remained on high alert due to developments in the Middle East, the Israeli news outlet reported.

“Even at this moment, we are closely monitoring developments in Iran and Lebanon. We remain on high alert and are prepared to act if necessary,” the prepared speech stated.