Five Israeli fighters were wounded, including one critically, after Hezbollah launched two explosive drones at Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon earlier Wednesday morning. According to the report, two of the wounded are in moderate condition and two are lightly hurt. A separate anti-tank missile attempt was also made during the incident, and on the first evacuation effort the troops were fired on again, though no one was hit. The forces then withdrew to a safe area until a more secure evacuation could be carried out.
The article says the broader battlefield situation has become more complicated under a new understandings document linked to the ceasefire, which has changed the rules of engagement and restricted IDF offensive activity in southern Lebanon. Even so, Hezbollah continues firing toward Israeli forces, while rockets toward Israel reportedly continue as well. The piece says the political and military leadership must balance international arrangements with the need to protect soldiers and northern residents.
Military correspondent Hillel Biton Rosen said the troops no longer have the same protective cover they had just days ago. “Right now our fighters are not getting the protection they were getting until two days ago, they have no ability to initiate fire,” he said. He added, “When you take away from a fighter on the battlefield the ability to fire, you take away his best cover.”
The change means forces are now shifting from proactive attacks to responding only when a target is clearly identified. The article says that over the past two months, about 1,300 militants were killed thanks to fire opened on suspicious movement, but now only isolated armed individuals close to the troops are authorized to be eliminated. Biton Rosen said officers in the field compare the current situation to the “Black Friday” in Rafah and warn of similar interim periods. The article also says Hezbollah fired several rockets at the area where Israeli forces were operating yesterday, some were intercepted by the Air Force, and no alerts were activated there. In a separate incident, troops identified a suspicious vehicle, fired warning shots, and then struck the area to remove the threat.
