Defense Minister Israel Katz on Friday promised that Israel will not leave the Ali al-Taher Ridge in southern Lebanon until the Hezbollah terror organization is disarmed.
In a statement, he said, "The capture of the Ali al-Taher Ridge marks the completion of the phase establishing control over the security zone in southern Lebanon."
"Following the maneuver to the anti-tank line, the capture of the Beaufort, and the IDF's establishment on the ridge overlooking and protecting the communities of the eastern Galilee, a decision was made to maneuver toward the Ali al-Taher Ridge following intelligence indicating the presence of Hezbollah command-and-control tunnels at the site."
Katz emphasized, "The Ali al-Taher tunnels served as a command center for attacks against our forces and the Galilee region. At the same time, they served as the final commanding position defending the Nabatieh area, which is of great importance to Hezbollah - hence their strategic significance."
"The IDF operated on the ridge under difficult terrain conditions, both in offensive operations and in defending our forces.
"I closely followed the operations on the ridge, including maintaining contact with the forces in the field, and was deeply impressed by their commitment to the mission," he added, noting, "We imposed a heavy blackout on details of the operation out of concern for the safety of our forces."
"I salute the determination of the IDF command and the courage of the soldiers. In a complex and systematic operation, the mission was completed and the tunnels were cleared of terrorists. The IDF will now complete the neutralization of the tunnels and deploy in the appropriate tactical manner to maintain control of the ridge and prevent the enemy from reestablishing itself in the area."
Concluding his statements, Katz stressed, "Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu and I are leading a clear and uncompromising policy, implemented every day by the IDF: Israel will not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed throughout Lebanon and the threats to the residents of the Galilee are removed."
"The capture of Ali al-Taher is an important step toward achieving that goal."