Russian TV reporter walks around deserted IDF post hit by Hezbollah missiles

A reporter for an Arabic-language Russian news outlet on Monday filmed a segment from inside an abandoned Israeli military base near the Lebanon border, less than 24 hours after it was targeted by the Hezbollah terror group.

Hezbollah fired anti-tank guided missiles at a vehicle near the Israeli position of Avivim near the security fence on Sunday. No soldiers were injured, and the Israel Defense Forces retaliated by firing approximately 100 artillery shells and bombs at Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon.

On Monday, RT Arabic published a video report showing its reporter strolling uninterrupted around the deserted IDF post, where weapons and military vehicles could be seen.

She also entered the soldiers’ dormitories and found personal belongings as well as rifle magazines, stressing how easy it had been for her to enter the base.

The report prompted the Israeli military to lock the base and release a statement confirming the post was evacuated a few days before the attack.

“This was a post on the border line that was classified last week as a threatened position,” the IDF spokesperson’s unit said.

“It was therefore evacuated during the week, and the forces defended the area from the rear line. The contents of the post were removed and there is no concern of information leakage” from the reporter’s visit.

A man fixes a Hezbollah flag at the ‘Garden of Iran’ Park in the Lebanese village of Maroun al-Ras on September 1, 2019, as fires blaze on the Lebanese side along the border following an exchange of fire with Israel. (Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP)

The army added that forces had returned to the post in accordance with a new security assessment.

Hezbollah said it fired anti-tank missiles at Israel on Sunday and destroyed and Israeli military vehicle across the border, killing and injuring soldiers.

The IDF said no Israeli troops were injured by the two or three missiles fired by Hezbollah. Pictures and videos showing injured soldiers being evacuated had been a ploy meant to trick Hezbollah into thinking it had caused casualties, Israel said.