Reserve Brigade Commander Urges Maintaining Control in Southern Lebanon for Northern Israel's Security

Colonel (res.) Itai Zeafrani, commander of Reserve Brigade 679, has called for continued Israeli control over strategic areas in southern Lebanon, emphasizing their importance for protecting northern Israeli communities. His remarks came after about two months of ground operations by his brigade in the Bint Jbeil area, during which they captured the strategic Silvester ridge, a first since the 2006 Lebanon War.

In an interview with Walla News, Zeafrani praised the Israeli military's decision to evacuate local Lebanese residents, stating this allowed the army to operate without risking civilian harm or enemy use of civilian cover. He stressed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the necessity of holding these territories, acknowledging the high cost and the need for a large standing force and strong reserve brigades to maintain control long term.

Zeafrani also discussed the heavy burden on reservists, noting that his brigade's soldiers have served over 500 reserve days in the past three years. He highlighted the strain on reservists and their families due to frequent deployments and urged Netanyahu to address this issue pragmatically, separate from political debates such as the conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jews. Zeafrani described reservists as Israel's "insurance policy" and recounted a candid conversation with the prime minister about the significant toll on these soldiers.