Land Forces
Southern Lebanon: more than 340 Hezbollah weapons and a shaft inside a house – Zamir’s warning to Northern Command
The IDF says its 188th Brigade found more than 340 Hezbollah weapons and a seven-metre shaft hidden in a house in southern Lebanon, a day after Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir warned the army will widen its gains if needed.
More than 340 Hezbollah weapons and a shaft about seven metres deep hidden inside a house were found in southern Lebanon by soldiers of the 188th Brigade, the Israeli army announced on Thursday, November 5. The announcement came a day after the visit of Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir to Northern Command, where he warned that, “if needed,” the army will widen its gains against the organisation.
The 188th Brigade, part of the 36th Division, is operating on the Beaufort ridge and in the Litani River area, inside the zone that Israel calls the “Security Zone.” Before moving north, the unit had spent about a year and eight months in operations in the Gaza Strip, followed by a period of intensive training. The finds include RPG rockets, anti-tank missiles, mortar rounds, light weapons, explosive devices, grenades and ammunition. Inside the shaft the soldiers found medical supplies and living items.
A few days earlier the 7th Brigade had completed its own mission in the same area, with a toll we described in our report on the roughly 400 Hezbollah fighters killed and 3,500 infrastructure sites destroyed.
Zamir at the 91st Division and the “Robotic Combat Team”
On Wednesday, November 4, Mr Zamir toured the 91st Division and the Hiam area, together with Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo and Ground Forces commander Maj. Gen. Nadav Lotan. There he was shown for the first time the prototype of the “Robotic Combat Team,” in which robotic and technological assets operate in front of and alongside soldiers. The Chief of Staff ordered the integration of robotic capabilities into combat units to be accelerated.
In his remarks, published by the Israeli army, Mr Zamir made clear that Hezbollah will not be allowed to establish terrorist infrastructure in the area. Any attempt to entrench itself, build up its capabilities or threaten the northern communities “will be dealt with immediately and forcefully,” he said. He called the organisation an “Iranian proxy” rather than a “Lebanese patriot,” and added that the army is monitoring developments “on near and far fronts,” ready to strike anyone who tries to harm it.
The same day, the Israeli army struck two suspects who, according to the army, were observing troops in the Kabrikha area, outside the “Security Zone.” In both announcements the army repeats that it remains committed to the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon.
The statements and finds come as Israel has asked Beirut to keep Hezbollah out of a new war with Iran, warning that any involvement would mean a resumption of fighting in Lebanon. See also our report on the latest Iranian nuclear proposal.
