IDF chief vows to keep Hezbollah out of southern Lebanon border area for the future

Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi speaks in a video statement from northern Israel, October 3, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi speaks in a video statement from northern Israel, October 3, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi says the military will not allow Hezbollah to re-establish itself in southern Lebanon.

“Today I met the commanders and troops of the 98th Division and 36th Division, who are fighting in Lebanon, for a very important goal: creating security in the north and returning the residents to their homes after more than a year of being evacuated,” Halevi says in a video statement from northern Israel.

“[To] return of the residents, [we must] destroy the terror infrastructure that Hezbollah built near the border to raid our towns on the day of that the order is given [and] kill Israeli civilians. We are very determined to destroy these infrastructures and kill whoever is there,” he continues.

“We will not allow Hezbollah to position itself in these places in the future. The severe blows to Hezbollah in all areas, in Beirut, in the [Beqaa] Valley, in south Lebanon, will continue,” he says.

Halevi says that Israeli troops in Lebanon are “eliminating more and more terrorists, every such encounter ends with us having the upper hand.”

“Our forces are ready and trained more than ever, loaded with experience from fighting in Gaza and their advantage in the combat arena is clear,” he continues.

He said he reviewed the findings of the recent battles in southern Lebanon in which soldiers were killed. “I saw commanders who despite the fire, pushed forward, led — and troops with them — and bravely overwhelmed the enemy,” Halevi says.

“We will continue to fight on all fronts, in order to bring better security to the State of Israel,” he adds.

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