Defense Minister Israel Katz held a special security assessment Sunday morning and, together with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, ordered a series of dramatic steps to increase pressure on Hezbollah. Israeli forces received orders to immediately destroy all bridges over the Litani River used for terrorist activity, aiming to prevent the transfer of terrorists and combat equipment to southern Lebanon.
The meeting, which included IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and other senior security officials, also decided to accelerate the destruction of Lebanese homes in villages near the border to thwart threats to Israeli communities. The operation will follow the model successfully used in Beit Hanoun and Rafah in the Gaza Strip, aimed at creating a security buffer zone clear of terrorism.
“The IDF continues forcefully with ground operations in Lebanon to eliminate Hezbollah terrorists and reach the anti-tank missile line and commanding positions as quickly as possible to protect the communities,” Katz said. “We are determined not to allow the reality that existed before October 7 to return. We promised to protect the residents of the north—and that’s exactly what we’ll do.”
Simultaneously with the directive, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, Col. Avichay Adraee, issued a warning to residents of southern Lebanon. The announcement stated that the IDF intends to strike the “Qasmiyeh Bridge” on the coastal highway, and called on civilians to move north of the Zahrani River and avoid traveling south to combat zones. Security officials emphasized that the IDF will continue to allow the evacuation of uninvolved civilians for their protection.