The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have full freedom of action in Lebanon to counter any threat to the country's security. This was announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an emergency press conference. “IDF soldiers have full freedom of action to counter any threat. This is a clear order“, he stressed in his official statement.
The prime minister's words come at a critical moment, immediately after Israel and Lebanon signed a framework agreement in Washington on a ceasefire. With this move, Netanyahu tried to dispel criticism that diplomatic steps would tie the hands of the Israeli military on the ground. He confirmed that the IDF would remain in the so-called “security zone“ (the yellow line) in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary.
According to information from the Israeli authoritative publication Haaretz, however, there is a certain discrepancy between the political messages and the reality on the battlefield. Security sources say that while Netanyahu talks about “absolute freedom”, senior commanders on the ground are forced to balance military operations with strict diplomatic mechanisms to avoid a new de-escalation.
For his part, Hezbollah's new leader, Naim Qassem, has completely rejected the framework document, calling it “humiliation”. The Israeli political leadership, however, is adamant that the agreement is a historic blow to Iran and Hezbollah, as it does not exempt them from the commitment to complete disarmament in the border sectors.