Defense Minister: "There Are No Restrictions on IDF Soldiers in Lebanon"

Defense Minister ישראל כ"ץ today (Sunday) rejected claims that new restrictions had been placed on IDF operations in southern Lebanon, and made clear that the forces are continuing to operate fully against threats from Hezbollah and terror infrastructure in the area.

In a statement he published, Katz addressed reports that emerged during the day claiming that the IDF had significantly reduced its use of fire in southern Lebanon, and stressed that there has been no change in operational policy when it comes to protecting the forces and the northern communities: "There was not, and there is not, any restriction on IDF soldiers in Lebanon acting to remove threats."

According to him, even after the most recent strike on IDF forces, the Israeli response was extensive: "Following the strike on our forces, the IDF responded with great force, thwarted a very large number of Hezbollah terrorists, and struck many terror infrastructures."

Katz added that the safety of soldiers and civilians remains at the top of the defense establishment’s priorities: "Protecting the lives of our soldiers and our civilians is an absolute and top priority." He further emphasized that all of the IDF’s gains in the Lebanon campaign remain fully intact, and that the forces continue operating from within the security zone: "All of the IDF’s achievements in the campaign in Lebanon are being fully preserved, as our forces are deployed in the security zone along the Yellow Line in Lebanon and are operating from there inward against terrorists and terror infrastructure."

Later, the defense minister also addressed the ceasefire arrangement announced yesterday, clarifying that from Israel’s standpoint there has been no change in the troop deployment in Lebanon: "The ceasefire announced yesterday leaves the IDF in all positions in the security zone that protects the northern communities. As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I made clear: Israel will not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon."

Katz’s remarks came in response to a report published this morning on Army Radio, which said that over the past week there had been a significant reduction in the scope of IDF strikes in southern Lebanon, against the backdrop of a tightening policy on the use of fire.

According to the report, as early as the beginning of last week, Northern Command received instructions for an almost complete restraint on fire in southern Lebanon. Under the alleged change, strikes that had previously been approved at the level of division commander and regional commander were transferred for approval by the chief of staff alone, and in some cases even required approval from the political echelon. It was also reported that the tougher policy began even before the signing of the memorandum of understandings between the United States and Iran, after U.S. President Donald Trump announced progress toward an agreement between the sides.

Officers who spoke with Army Radio criticized the new policy and argued that it makes it harder for forces on the ground to strike Hezbollah terrorists and thwart threats in areas close to the troops. According to them, the reduction in strikes also harms the ability to provide effective protection for the ground forces operating in southern Lebanon.