The Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, arrived yesterday (Thursday) for a field tour on the outskirts of the town of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon.
In his remarks to commanders and fighters in the field, the Chief of Staff presented a picture of a decision that is gradually taking shape, while emphasizing that the IDF is not taking its foot off the pedal.
In his opening remarks, the Chief of Staff clarified the operational situation, distinguishing between the different sectors “The IDF is in a state of war; we are not in a ceasefire on the northern front. We continue to operate here on this front -this is our primary operational focus. In Iran, we are in a ceasefire, but we can return to operating there at any moment, and with great intensity."
"In Lebanon, we are continuing to deepen our achievements and expand our operations. The area where you are operating is extremely important-this is Lebanon, this is against Hezbollah. Here we are active, employing many means and many of our capabilities. The achievements of this war so far are historic," he stated. "Iran before this war is not the same Iran-it is much weaker. The blow Iran has sustained also affects Hezbollah, because Hezbollah understands that it is now isolated. It is isolated within Lebanon, cut off from its strategic backing-from those who fund it and supply it with munitions-and therefore this is a very significant achievement."
"While our troops operate along the forward defensive area, earlier this we delivered a General Staff-level command strike in Beirut and in Beqaa, and I tell you-the terror organization is being effected deeply. They have left Dahieh and moved to other locations, to northern Beirut and various other neighborhoods, from where they are conducting terror," Zamir said. "Hezbollah encounters our fighter jets, both at the border and deep within Lebanon. It encounters our ground forces-we are removing the direct threat to our communities. This is a highly significant event, a very important achievement."
"We are present on all fronts-as we are in Gaza, as we are in Syria-so too here in Lebanon. We are forward-positioned, creating a defensive area with our forces, our armored vehicles, and our troops between the enemy and the communities. This is our role; this is the mission," he continued. "I believe this mission is very clear. Great appreciation for the people-the very best in the world-with tremendous spirit, followed by the highest-level capabilities. I do not recall in the history of the IDF combined formations-infantry, armor, and engineering-with such strong capabilities. So, great appreciation-take care of yourselves and carry out your missions. Good luck."