The Chief of the General Staff, LTG Eyal Zamir, toured today (Sunday) the area of Ras el-Bayada, the northernmost point in southern Lebanon where IDF soldiers are currently operating.
As part of the visit, the Chief of Staff conducted a situational assessment and a discussion with commanders including Northern Command Commander, MG Rafi Milo; the Commander of the 146th Division, BG Benny Aharon; the Commander of the 226th Brigade, Col. A.; and additional commanders.
The Chief of Staff expressed his appreciation to the 146th Division, the soldiers and commanders of the 226th Brigade, and commended them for their actions, as well as the creativity, ingenuity, and fighting spirit demonstrated in carrying out the mission.
“The IDF is striking Hezbollah, a terrorist organization, with determination, extensively, and across multiple fronts. This includes strikes against its operatives, its command and control centers, its terrorist infrastructure, its military capabilities, its weapons, its financial capabilities, and more. Over 1,000 Hezbollah terrorists have been eliminated, and that number will continue to rise. The damage to Hezbollah will intensify," he declared.
"Every terrorist target and any target that supports terrorism in Lebanese territory will be struck. The entire area south of the Litani has become an operational zone in which Northern Command soldiers and the Air Force are systematically targeting Hezbollah operatives until it is ensured that the entire area up to the Litani River is free of threats to Israel and our northern communities. We issued advanced warnings to the residents of southern Lebanon for their protection and to enable freedom of military operation."
"With regard to the current objectives in Lebanon - the IDF is engaging Hezbollah in precise operations in order to strengthen defense and push the threat away from northern communities. We will remain on this line as long as required."
"The IDF is working to suppress and reduce high-trajectory fire from Lebanon. This will take time but we will continue to significantly degrade their capabilities. The IDF is expanding the mission that began in Operation ‘Northern Arrows’ and will continue to severely degrade Hezbollah. Alongside all this, we will maintain operational freedom of action throughout Lebanon."
"The objective of disarming Hezbollah is defined as a top-tier goal, an ongoing objective that predates the current operation," he said, relating to an uproar last week in which the IDF stated that it was not one of the objectives of the war. "Roaring Lion will advance it. As outlined, we will advance this objective with more operational achievements and through measures led by the political echelon, while preserving military freedom of action to remove threats."
"We mourn our fallen soldiers in this operation and will investigate every incident in which they fell," Zamir concluded, referring to a friendly fire incident over Shabbat. "They fell in the fight to defend our country and to ensure the security of the residents and communities of the north."