Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today ordered the army to further expand the "buffer zone" on the Lebanese border, in a move aimed at fundamentally changing the security situation on the northern front.
Netanyahu affirmed in a video statement Israel's determination to contain any potential threats and ensure the protection of its borders from anti-armor missile attacks and infiltration. Netanyahu explained that he had completed an assessment of the situation with the Minister of Defense, the Chief of Staff, and the military commanders, indicating that the operations include Syria from Mount Hermon to the Yarmouk, and the Gaza Strip, as well as Lebanon, with the aim of thwarting infiltration and warding off any potential attacks from Israeli territory. Earlier, the Israeli army carried out a cross-border operation that started from the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, reaching the Mount Rouss area in the Lebanese Shebaa Farms, using a mountain commando unit that climbed the snowy terrain to gather intelligence and reveal field infrastructure. Analysts believe that expanding operations towards the high and complex terrain gives the Israeli army greater capabilities to oversee vast areas, and open bypass routes that bypass traditional lines, and facilitate the cutting of southern Lebanon from the western Bekaa, which enhances Israel's control over the northern borders.
