As Hezbollah Escalates in the North, Netanyahu Tours Southern Lebanon

(Photo: Roi Avraham/ GPO)

This evening (Sunday) the gag order was lifted, and it can now be reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Lebanon and held a security assessment there, joined by Defense Minister Israel Katz, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, Northern Command chief Shai Kalper, and other senior officers.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during his meeting with troops on the Lebanon border: \"There is a wonderful spirit here and a willingness to fight—and they are fighting well. The war continues, including inside the security zone in Lebanon. What we are seeing is that we thwarted the threat of an invasion from Lebanon thanks to this security zone, we are pushing the danger of anti-tank fire farther away and also dealing with TMS (rockets), but there is still work to be done. We have done enormous work, achieved tremendous results, there is more to do—and we are doing it\".

\"One of the things we are seeing here is that we have essentially changed the face of the Middle East. Our enemies—Iran and the axis of evil—came to destroy us, and now they are simply fighting for their survival. We see this in every single arena. This is a tremendous achievement for the State of Israel and for the Israel Defense Forces—our outstanding conscripts and reservists. The people of Israel salute you.\"

As a reminder, five IDF divisions are currently operating in Lebanese territory, some of which have reached the Litani River line. The goal: to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure and push the militants out of anti-tank firing range of the northern communities.

It should be noted that from morning until evening, dozens of rockets and several UAVs were launched from Lebanon toward communities along the contact line. No fewer than 11 launches were carried out throughout the day at Kiryat Shmona and the surrounding area. Ten launches were carried out toward the Carmiel area, and sirens warning of the infiltration of a hostile aircraft sounded in the Western Galilee, including in Zar'it, Even Menachem, and Shomera. In the latest barrage toward Nahariya and the surrounding area, shortly after 7:00 p.m., 10 rockets were fired, some of which were intercepted. A UAV was intercepted in the Eilon, Goren, and Ga'aton area in the Western Galilee.

Across the border, in Lebanon they reported on IDF strikes in the Nabatieh area in the south of the country and on a strike near the village of Mashghara in the Western Beqaa.