3 reasons delaying Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon.. Yedioth reveals
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth spoke about 3 reasons that might lead to a delay in the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon after the 60-day deadline for the ceasefire agreement, which was brokered by the United States, and which is supposed to end on January 27, 2025.
A lengthy report prepared by the newspaper’s military analyst, Ron Ben Yishai, who accompanies the occupation forces in southern Lebanon, shed light on these reasons, which he said were military and logistical, and may prompt Israel to delay withdrawal from the lands it occupied in southern Lebanon.
It is worth noting that these reasons mentioned by the newspaper are not part of the ceasefire agreement that was brokered by America, and according to the agreement, Israel’s role is limited to informing the security committee formed by UNIFIL forces, America, France, and Germany of any breaches it finds from the Lebanese side or from Hezbollah.
The report considered that the continued discovery and destruction of Hezbollah’s infrastructure in southern Lebanon is one of the most prominent reasons that may lead to delaying the Israeli army’s withdrawal.
He claimed that through the military operations carried out by the Israeli army against Hezbollah in the past months, many tunnels and military sites that the party had built in remote areas with difficult terrain were exposed, pointing to Israeli military reports stating that Hezbollah had taken advantage of these… The areas, which include forests and mountain valleys, are a rear base for carrying out its operations in the event of a new conflict with Israel.
The military correspondent stated that in some cases, the Israeli army discovered that Hezbollah’s infrastructure, long after the initial inspections, was still present and operational. For example, the report stated that in one case, when an Israeli military team was confident that it had completed its mission to clear a village, it later became clear that there was other infrastructure that had not yet been discovered, which led to the dispatch of special units, such as the Shaldag unit and the Shaldag unit. Raids, to discover and destroy these hidden military installations.
The report referred to what it called tunnels and facilities established by Hezbollah in the south, including rocket and mortar launchers, considering them to represent a potential threat to Israel.
Ben Yishai considered that this infrastructure requires more time and effort to explore it, and to identify new underground sites, especially under the vegetation in which Hezbollah was hiding its weapons and equipment. He added: Every new discovery process takes longer due to the difficulty of the terrain and the difficulty of reaching some areas. Areas hidden in bushes or under tunnels.
He quoted the Israeli military sources from which he receives his information as saying that the Israeli army cannot leave this area without ensuring that this mission is completely completed.
Also, the military analyst confirmed that in the context of these operations, the Israeli army continues to search the valleys and highlands near the Lebanese border, where many rocket and mortar shell launching sites that Hezbollah used against Israel in the past are being discovered.
In an attempt to emphasize the importance of the continued Israeli occupation of the border villages in southern Lebanon, the report says it is impossible not to think about how lucky we are that former Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah did not order the invasion of northern Israel on the eighth or ninth of October 2023 (after the Al-Aqsa flood). Instead, he launched a war of attrition that enabled the Northern Command and the Air Force to target a group of Hezbollah missile-launching villages, pushing the Radwan Force (the Hezbollah elite forces) beyond the Litani River.
He adds: The damage to what Hezbollah planned and established here under the supervision of Ibrahim Aqeel, the leader of this force who was assassinated last September, could have been much greater than what Hamas did on October 7.
Ben Yishai confirms, citing his military sources, that the presence in the field makes it clear that the work is not yet complete, and it will take at least a few more months before the residents of northern Israel can return to their homes safely.
Questioning the ability of the Lebanese army
The report claims that although the Lebanese Army has deployed some forces south of the Litani River, its military capabilities are still insufficient to ensure the full implementation of the agreement, as the role of the Lebanese Army is currently limited to guarding and monitoring, and not to dealing with infrastructure. Hezbollah military personnel discovered in the area.
The report also indicates that the Lebanese Army lacks the necessary equipment to confront the complex security challenges posed by Hezbollah. He cites as an example the difficulty of the Lebanese army’s access to some areas where weapons and ammunition are stored due to the difficult terrain or hidden tunnels built by Hezbollah, which made it difficult for the Lebanese army to take the necessary measures to remove weapons and military equipment on time, according to Ben’s allegations. Yishai.
However, it highlights that the Lebanese Army faces challenges in destroying launch pads or fortified bunkers prepared by Hezbollah, as the Lebanese Army does not have sufficient experience in confronting these types of military threats, including difficulty in obtaining the appropriate equipment and logistics needed to track Hidden weapons and destroy them.
Ben Yishai points out that the Israeli occupation forces will not withdraw unless they feel that the Lebanese army is capable of taking control, according to his claims.
Incomplete border defense system
The third reason, according to the report, which may postpone the withdrawal of the occupation forces from southern Lebanon, is that the Israeli army has not yet completed the establishment of the new border defense system that aims to protect the Israeli settlements close to the Lebanese border.
Israeli military leaders told military analyst Yedioth Ahronoth that the Israeli army is currently working to build advanced defensive sites on the northern border, including facilities for monitoring and detecting threats and installing early warning systems on the border to ensure that there are no surprise attacks from Hezbollah or other armed factions.
The report indicated that the border with Lebanon was not adequately equipped before the recent military operation, which made Israel realize the necessity of radically improving defense measures on the border. (Al Jazeera Net)
