An Israeli military official said Saturday that the army had received orders from the country’s political leadership to cease clashes with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, while continuing to operate there “defensively.”
This official spoke as intense clashes have pitted Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon since Friday, with both camps accusing each other of violating a new ceasefire agreement announced by the United States.
A “security zone”
The army “has received updated directives from the political level to cease fire,” the official said, adding that the troops “are not carrying out proactive strikes” but are operating “defensively.” ” within the territorial strip of southern Lebanon occupied by Israel, which designates it as a “security zone”.
“These defensive activities include the right to retaliate if Hezbollah violates the ceasefire and continues to target our troops or civilians,” he added.
The official said the army was operating in the Tebnit region against an underground “terrorist infrastructure” “which represents a direct threat to Israeli soldiers and civilians” and “constitutes a major Hezbollah stronghold.”
Israeli strikes on Friday and Saturday killed around a hundred people in Lebanon, according to Lebanese officials, while the army indicated that Hezbollah had fired “more than 50 rockets” at Israeli forces during the night.
The army said it had lost five soldiers in the past 48 hours in fighting in southern Lebanon.
