Israel assesses: Lebanese army chief coordinates activity in southern Lebanon with Hezbollah | First publication

Sources in the Northern Command assess that the Lebanese army chief, General Rodolphe Haykal, coordinates his activity in southern Lebanon with Hezbollah to avoid friction. This is part of a "Lebanese pilot" in which the IDF withdrew from two positions. The expectation that the Lebanese army would scan the area and locate weapons is not materializing to the expected extent.

Sources in the IDF Northern Command assess that the Lebanese army chief, General Rodolphe Haykal, coordinates his activity in southern Lebanon with Hezbollah in order to prevent friction between the sides. The assessment comes against the backdrop of a "Lebanese pilot" initiated by the White House under heavy American pressure, in which the IDF withdrew from two main positions in southern Lebanon – one south of the yellow line and the other north of it. The expectation in the Israeli security establishment and political echelon was that the Lebanese army would scan the terrain, locate weapons and terrorist infrastructure, and confiscate or destroy them. In practice, according to IDF sources, the Lebanese army located weapons in a very limited manner, far from the expected scope in terms of quantity and geographical spread. Walla has learned that Israel claims the coordination with Hezbollah is intended to prevent friction, and that the Lebanese chief of staff is personally exposed to the process and does not prevent it. Sources in Israel say the Lebanese army fears a military confrontation with Hezbollah that could lead to civil war, so expectations of it are low. The assessment in Israel is that the Lebanese army will not be able to fulfill the mission, and now the question is whether the prime minister will express this concern to the US president, who demands accelerating the process and hints at a similar process in Syria and the Gaza Strip.