Reserve soldiers in Lebanon report restrictions on operational use of force

We published this evening (Wednesday) on News 14: A week has passed since the disaster in Lebanon in which Major Harel Birenstock and Sergeant Major Tamir Vaknin were killed and four soldiers were wounded. This evening we revealed in the main edition that the force operating in Lebanon, a few kilometers from the area where the incident occurred, received a series of guidelines limiting its ability to use fire in areas where there is danger to forces and fear of booby-trapped areas.

Last week, before the IDF went on an attack in Lebanon, it was claimed that Hezbollah violated the agreement and Lebanese returned to southern Lebanon, but according to instructions that reached the commanders, it seems that the IDF itself is allowing their return:

"Regarding the movement of the population in the area south of the yellow line, one must act in accordance with the directive on the policy of using force on the Lebanon front. And in cases where there is no danger to our forces, one must not open fire at civilians – it should be clarified that the very attempt of civilians to return south in itself does not constitute a threat that justifies the use of force."

Regarding the management of attacks in cases of Air Force strikes following evacuation notices, here too a significant limitation is applied:

"After warning the population before an attack, one should not assume that all civilians have evacuated, and the proportionality of the attack must be examined individually and concretely; one must take into account the harm to civilians who chose not to evacuate."

Another limitation that has been passed down to the field relates to a situation where terrorists are wounded in combat against our forces, and there is a total prohibition on eliminating them in case they are receiving medical treatment:

"One must not attack ambulances and medical facilities, as the evacuation and medical treatment of enemy wounded are not considered military activity."

From the IDF it was stated: "Since the ceasefire entered into force, IDF forces continue to operate in the security zone and enforce the ceasefire agreement against immediate threats directed at the citizens of the State of Israel and IDF forces, in accordance with the agreements and the instructions of the political echelon.

The IDF continuously monitors what is happening in the security zone and outside it, and acts according to operational necessity against threats and against terrorists of the Hezbollah terrorist organization, while employing a variety of capabilities and means.

The IDF continues to operate in this area through the use of fire and the deployment of forces in the area in order to remove threats. Since the agreement entered into force, the IDF has operated in the area against Hezbollah terrorists, neutralized five terrorists from the Radwan Force unit who posed a threat, and destroyed terrorist infrastructure used by the organization. At the same time, the IDF continues to warn the population against approaching areas where there is activity by Hezbollah and IDF forces."