An Israeli military source announced that “the battle with Hezbollah is not over yet,” revealing that operations to search for more of the party’s infrastructure are still continuing, at a time when Israel is betting on a political path and American-brokered negotiations to address the arms issue.
The source said, in statements to Al-Hadath, that Hezbollah suffered great damage, but it still exists as an organization, adding: “We hope that we will not be forced to operate militarily deep inside Lebanon.”
He pointed out that the Israeli army engaged in fierce fighting with Hezbollah in Bint Jbeil and its surroundings, stressing that its forces did not reach all of the party’s infrastructure in the region.
The source claimed that the Israeli army uncovered structures belonging to Hezbollah above and below the ground in Bint Jbeil and its surroundings, pointing out that searches for additional infrastructure are still continuing.
Regarding the arms issue, the source held the Lebanese state responsible for dealing with it, stressing that Israel prefers a political path that leads to the disarmament of Hezbollah.
He added that Israel is counting on American-brokered negotiations to reach an agreement regarding the party’s weapons, noting that its goal is to prevent it from regaining its ability to threaten towns in northern Israel.
The statements of the Israeli military source place Bint Jbeil and its surroundings at the heart of the field scene, in parallel with linking the continuation of military operations to the course of political negotiations mediated by the United States to address the file of Hezbollah’s weapons.
