Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday visited Israeli troops operating in the security zone in southern Lebanon, accompanied by Defence Minister Israel Katz and senior military commanders.
During the visit, Netanyahu and Katz received operational briefings from Northern Command Commander Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo, the Commander of the 91st Division and brigade commanders on activities along the northern front.
The delegation was also shown newly developed weapons and ammunition designed to counter drone threats.
Addressing the troops, Netanyahu praised their operations against Hezbollah, saying Israel had significantly weakened the Iran-backed group and reduced its military capabilities.
He claimed Israeli forces had eliminated about 9,000 Hezbollah fighters and destroyed infrastructure used for attacks, including tunnels, weapons sites and other militant positions.
Netanyahu said Israel’s strategy had shifted to creating security buffer zones inside neighbouring territories to prevent armed groups from establishing positions near the Israeli border.
He stressed that protecting Israeli soldiers remained the military’s top priority, instructing troops to respond immediately to any threat to their lives or security.
The Israeli leader also insisted that Israeli forces would remain in southern Lebanon until what he described as the Hezbollah threat had been eliminated.
Accompanying Netanyahu were National Security Council head Shmuel Ben Ezra and the Prime Minister’s Military Secretary, Maj. Gen. Guy Markizeno.
