In a field report monitoring developments in events in southern Lebanon, journalist Avi Ashkenazi conducted an interview with the commander of the 603rd Engineering Battalion of the 36th Division in the Israeli army, and published it in the Maariv newspaper, revealing important details about the nature of the ongoing operations and the extent of Hezbollah’s preparedness.
According to the report, the 603rd Battalion has been engaged in continuous combat for more than two weeks in southern Lebanon, as part of what the commander described as a “frontal defensive battle,” with the aim of removing Hezbollah fighters from the border areas adjacent to the settlements in northern Israel. He pointed out that the Israeli forces moved at this stage to launch offensive operations within the second and third lines of the southern villages.
In his assessment of the field situation, the battalion commander explained that the information that becomes clear day after day indicates that Hezbollah had prepared in advance for a confrontation like this, by establishing defensive fortifications and combat formations that would enable it to pursue the advancing forces. He added that the party’s members seek to clash with Israeli forces when they reach the defense lines, although this is not yet happening on a large scale.
He stressed that “the field is complex, and the enemy operates in a different way, with extensive use of drones and high-angle fire,” pointing out that the Israeli army has become certain that Hezbollah “has studied the army’s plans and fighting methods, and is looking for weak points to exploit.”
He also noted that the Israeli forces faced more advanced military infrastructure than expected, including a network of underground tunnels inside the villages, linking homes, stressing that these data posed an additional challenge to the forces operating on the ground.
He pointed out that during the past months, the party transported and stored large quantities of weapons and explosives within residential areas, whether in the courtyards of homes or on roofs, which reflects the level of advance preparation for the battle.
Regarding the course of operations, the battalion commander stressed that the fighting does not adhere to a specific timetable, and described it as a “long battle” that requires patience, as operations continue to gradually destroy military infrastructure.
He concluded by noting that the clashes are still continuing deep into the southern villages, stressing that the field is witnessing direct clashes and daily losses, and that Hezbollah is showing a clear willingness to fight, with accurate knowledge of the locations and movements of the Israeli forces.
