IDF deepens Lebanon operations, warns on Turkish F-35s, and advances PTSD legislation

Givati commanders question Lebanese army's ability to counter Hezbollah as IDF locates missile position that wounded a general.

IDF deepens Lebanon operations, warns on Turkish F-35s, and advances PTSD legislation — This morning, forces from the IDF's 36th Division located the fortified Hezbollah anti-tank missile position in the Nahal Saluki area from which the missile that severely wounded Brig. Gen. Efi Defrin was launched. In the battle, 11 officers and soldiers were killed and over 50 wounded. The discovery comes 26 years after the IDF withdrawal from Lebanon, as Kan correspondent Carmela Menashe returned to the Beaufort ridge, now held by the IDF.[^1] Givati Brigade commanders expressed deep skepticism about the Lebanese army's ability to prevent Hezbollah from rearming. Givati Brigade Chief Col. 'E' said, 'We are skeptical about their abilities because their power is nothing compared to Hezbollah, but maybe the legitimacy it gives us will create some change.' The brigade killed over 200 Hezbollah terrorists during the war, losing eight soldiers.[^2] Separately, Israeli defense officials warned that if the US sells F-35s to Turkey, Ankara's technological expertise could circumvent American restrictions. The officials worry that Turkey could place its Russian S-400 air defense systems in storage or transfer them to Syria, technically complying with US law while still enabling tracking of F-35s.[^3] On the home front, the Knesset House Committee on Sunday approved in a first reading a bill introducing a separate status for IDF soldiers suffering from combat stress. Coalition chairman Ofir Katz called this a 'historic step.' To take effect, the bill must pass second and third readings by July 17, the date of the parliament's dissolution.[^4] The IDF and Shin Bet have reportedly eliminated approximately 3,000 terrorists who took part in the October 7 massacre, including about 300 since the start of Operation 'Roar of the Lion.' The Shin Bet holds a list of about 3,000 additional terrorists defined as 'dead men walking.'[^5] Jerusalem café Shabbat clash exposes secular-Haredi fault line — On Saturday, a conflict erupted in Jerusalem on Agrippas Street between secular residents and ultra-Orthodox Jews over the operation of the 'Ba-Simta' café.[^1] A week earlier, Haredi activists had