Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz on Motzei Shabbos ordered the IDF to hold fire in southern Lebanon, following heavy exchanges of fire throughout Shabbos after Hezbollah fired hundreds of projectiles at IDF soldiers.

According to reports, senior IDF officials expressed opposition to the order. At the same time, IDF forces remain on high alert and continue to operate in southern Lebanon.

A senior Israeli official quoted by Ynet clarified that Israel’s policy in Lebanon has not changed. “The IDF is free to act to remove threats and acts against any Hezbollah violation. If Hezbollah violates the ceasefire, the IDF will respond forcefully, as it has already shown over the past two days, during which more than 300 targets were struck, and about 100 Hezbollah terrorists were killed. At the same time, the IDF is holding the security zone and operating with full freedom of action inside the yellow line to clear the area of terrorist infrastructure.”

A senior diplomatic official said Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu “has repeatedly made clear that Israel will remain in the security zone as long as necessary to defend its northern border. The prime minister instructed the IDF to respond forcefully to any Hezbollah attack and to act to remove threats against our forces. In response to Hezbollah attacks over the past two days, the IDF struck 300 terror targets and eliminated about 100 terrorists. If Hezbollah attacks us again, we will strike it again with force.”

According to Israeli officials, Iran is directing Hezbollah to violate the ceasefire and attack IDF soldiers in order to force Israel to respond and to anger the US by making it appear that Israel is “sabotaging the ceasefire.”

Meanwhile, IDF forces maintain operational control of the Ali Taher Ridge complex near the city of Nabatieh, considered a Hezbollah stronghold. Dozens of Hezbollah terrorists are trapped inside the complex.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)