Thursday’s reports appear like most other days with respect to Israeli operations in southern Lebanon. Artillery strikes were persistent across the region, and Israeli drones were attacking populated areas, including the area near a restaurant in Nabatieh al-Fawqa.
But at the same time, Israeli Army Radio was reporting something that was more of a surprise, that Israel’s deployments have actually reduced the number of ground troops they have in occupied Lebanon in recent days.
Rotations have seen four Israeli brigades return from Lebanon recently, but only two new brigades deployed to replace them. Army Radio cites military sources saying the goal is to reduce the burden on the Israeli military, particularly important since they’re fighting myriad wars at any given time.
Zawtar Al-Gharbieh, Zawtar Al-Gharbieh, Lebanon: A Lebanese family salvage some belongings from their devastated home in the southern Lebanese village of Zawatar al-Gharbieh. Civilians started returning slowly the devastated hamlet after the army deployed inside the village following an Israeli withdrawal from several points inside it. (Credit Image: © Marwan Naamani/ZUMA Press Wire)
This isn’t to say that Israel’s destruction of Lebanon is necessarily going to slow. Airstrikes and artillery continue apace, and in reality Israel may have felt they’ve already wiped out so much of southern Lebanon they just don’t need to be as physically present within the ruins.
And while the occupation continues, you’ve still got Israelis warning against the drawdown, with former Commander Oren Zini saying that Israel needs to maintain a credible hold on those regions or “we won’t be taken seriously.”
Lebanese PM Nawaf Salam, at the UN General Assembly, is warning about the ever-worsening humanitarian crisis, seeking international support for a “particularly urgent” situation that’s been ongoing for months now.
