IDF Official: Israel May Temporary Occupy Southern Lebanon in Next Conflict with Hezbollah

Israeli Merkava tanks and armour wait in a holding area near to the Israeli-Lebanon border
Christopher Furlong/Getty

The Jerusalem Post reports: In the event of another war with Hezbollah the IDF’s objective would be to occupy parts of southern Lebanon where the group has support and infrastructure, in order to force a UN resolution favorable to improving the security situation on Israel’s northern border, a senior IDF officer said on Monday.

IDF soldiers from the 319th Armour Division, the majority of them reserve soldiers, are currently drilling such a scenario during the second and final week of the Or HaDagan Northern Command drill– the largest exercise by the Israeli army in close to 20 years.

According to a senior IDF officer involved in the drill simulating a war with Hezbollah, Israel is not aiming to occupy Lebanese territory for a significant amount of time. Rather, he said, it would be with the aim to end the conflict with Hezbollah as quickly as possible by destroying the Lebanese Shi’ite group’s capabilities and infrastructure.

Read more here.

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.