Senior Israeli military officers have sharply criticized the Zionist entity’s continued military presence in southern Lebanon, warning that the so-called “security zone” could strengthen Hezbollah Lebanese resistance group and expose Israeli forces to renewed losses, Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Friday.
The newspaper reported that senior commanders view the deployment as a political decision rather than a military necessity, warning that the occupation army is “exhausted” and “struggling with severe manpower shortages.”
“This security zone will only strengthen Hezbollah, revive its past glory, and exact its annual toll in blood. It has not prevented rocket fire, and only marginally mitigates the threat of Hezbollah incursions,” the Israeli paper cited the occupation military commanders as saying.
However, the Israeli army believes – according to Yedioth Ahronoth – it cannot withdraw from the new “security zone” without “at least initiating a process to disarm Hezbollah.”
“Such a decision is ultimately beyond the army’s control,” the commanders noted, adding that “any US pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including a demand from President Donald Trump to begin a withdrawal, could determine next Israeli steps, given Israel’s absolute” dependence on Washington,” according to Yedioth Ahronoth.
Israeli Army Reject Claims Hezbollah Was Forced into War
Meanwhile, the Israeli daily noted that Israeli army rejected claims that Hezbollah was forced into the recent war on March 2, with officials arguing that the Lebanese resistance group made its own decision to join the fighting.
A senior Israeli security official was quoted as saying: “Hezbollah bit its lip for 15 months, waiting. When (Israeli) warplane took off for Iran, Hezbollah launched its own offensive. The organization had prepared itself and trained to operate fiber-optic drones.”
The official added that Hezbollah viewed the confrontation as an opportunity to restore its standing after months of Israeli strikes, rather than acting under direct orders from Iran.
“Hezbollah prepared to return to war. It viewed a potential war in Iran as an opportunity. The Ayatollahs did not order (Hezbollah S.G. Sheikh) Naim Qassem that they needed his help and that he should join the war with Israel. On the contrary, they realized his situation was complicated,” the official was quoted as saying,” the official added, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.
Source: Al-Manar English Website