Israeli Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir pledged, during an inspection visit on Saturday to soldiers deployed around Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, to continue working to "eliminate the threats" posed by Hezbollah, as the Israeli army carried out a demolition operation in which it razed an entire neighbourhood in the city of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon.
The correspondent of Israel's Channel 12, who published the video, reported that the decision to destroy the neighbourhood came after an Israeli soldier was seriously wounded in the same area on Thursday. The video documents a large-scale explosion targeting the Al-Dawra neighbourhood in Bint Jbeil, which was levelled to the ground.
During his meeting with soldiers in the Beaufort Castle area, an Israeli army statement quoted Zamir as saying: "The Israeli army will continue to act firmly to eliminate threats from Lebanese territory, and it is prepared to move swiftly to offensive operations if the ceasefire is violated."
The tour included an inspection of a major Hezbollah tunnel network built beneath the hills, according to the Israeli army. Zamir said that the Beaufort Castle area is "a zone under our control, packed with militant infrastructure. Hezbollah has been building underground tunnels in the area to threaten northern communities, and our forces now control key areas above ground and these routes beneath it."
He added: "The Lebanese army must fulfil its obligations under the historic agreement that was signed, and work to clear the area of Hezbollah elements. At the same time, the Israeli army will continue to act firmly to eliminate threats from Lebanese territory."
He said the army "stands ready to launch a swift offensive should the ceasefire be violated." Zamir described the signed agreement as the fruit of the efforts of fighters and operations led by the Northern Command with all its divisions operating in the region.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese army announced on Saturday the dismantling of 4 aerial bombs left over from Israeli strikes in Nabatieh and Bint Jbeil. The army command's Directorate of Orientation said in a statement that, amid mounting Israeli aggressions and violations, the army continues to clear unexploded ordnance from areas affected by Israeli strikes.
It added that specialised army units worked to dismantle 4 unexploded aerial bombs in the towns of Mifdoun — Nabatieh, and Braasheet, Kfar Dounin, and Shaqra — Bint Jbeil, and transferred them to a safe location for the necessary action. The army command renewed its call to all citizens to exercise maximum precaution and vigilance in areas that have been subjected to Israeli attacks, and to report any suspicious object to the nearest military post.