Israeli operations in southern Lebanon are entering a different phase, with the Israeli army moving towards reducing the size of its forces and reorganizing them along what it calls the “yellow line”, in parallel with the establishment of a new network of military sites, while changes in the composition of the units indicate a transition from intense reliance on offensive and elite forces to stabilizing the lines of deployment and holding the sites.
The Israeli Channel 12 reported that, “In the coming days, the Israeli army will enter what it described as a ‘new phase’ of fighting in southern Lebanon, after completing its operations in the Ali al-Tahir Heights and other areas,” noting that “this allows for the reduction and reorganization of forces in the (Yellow Line) area, the establishment of a new system of military sites, and the rest of the reserve forces.”
A source familiar with the details of the Israeli military deployment in southern Lebanon told Asharq Al-Awsat that the recent changes made by the Israeli army to the composition of its forces in the south “indicate, from a military standpoint, a move from intense reliance on offensive and elite units to stabilizing the front and holding positions with regular and armored units.”
The source explained that “during previous operations, the Israeli forces relied on a group of divisions and brigades deployed in the south,” pointing out that “(the 146th Division) assumed part of the tasks in the western sector, while (the 36th Division) participated in operations in the central and eastern sectors.”
He said that the last stage “witnessed the withdrawal of a number of units that assumed offensive roles, including the Golani Brigade, the 4th Reserve Armored Brigade (Kryati), the 89th Commando Brigade, and the 55th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade, in exchange for the introduction of the 188th Barak Armored Brigade and the 828th Bismalah Brigade, which is a training brigade that can be used in combat missions.”
He added: “When elite units and units that were prepared to storm and attack are withdrawn, and they are replaced by regular or armored units and units that are primarily responsible for holding the positions, this is a military signal that the goal at this stage is not to prepare for a broad ground push, but rather to stabilize the front and maintain the status quo.”
For his part, retired Brigadier General Saeed Qazah told Asharq Al-Awsat that talk about Israel reducing its forces in southern Lebanon “does not necessarily mean reducing its deployment or declining its field control,” explaining that, according to military data, it has more than one choice regarding the form of its deployment and the size of the forces used.
On the ground, on Friday morning, an Israeli force entered the locality of Sadana in the outskirts of Kafr Shuba, and surrounded a farm where there were a number of shepherds inside, coinciding with gunfire and artillery shelling in the area.
The United States of America is adopting a different approach than the European approach towards the international presence in the south and enhancing the stability of the border region, amid Lebanese fears of a “vacuum” in the south, with the end of the mandate of the United Nations Interim Peacekeeping Force (UNIFIL) at the end of this year.
After Washington dropped a Lebanese proposal last week to extend the international force’s mission for a period of six months, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix will arrive in Beirut next week to discuss with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Lebanese officials proposals to avoid a vacuum in the south.
The crisis of people smuggling from Syria to Lebanon has returned to the Lebanese list of priorities, against the backdrop of information that smuggling networks have activated their operations during the recent period, although these operations are still “limited,” according to what a Lebanese military source tells Asharq Al-Awsat.
