Israel tells US Lebanese army failing to curb Hezbollah activity in south

Israel has told the United States through security channels that a pilot programme in southern Lebanon has failed to deliver results, according to The Jerusalem Post.

Israel conveyed its assessment of the Lebanese Army’s performance and expressed dissatisfaction with its efforts to act against Hezbollah infrastructure and operatives in southern Lebanon, Walla reported.

Israeli security officials said the Lebanese Army had failed to destroy infrastructure at locations identified by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), while continuing to request additional coordinates.

The IDF has criticised the Lebanese Army’s performance, saying it has not acted effectively against Hezbollah infrastructure in the area.

According to assessments by senior Israeli military officials, Lebanese Army Chief of Staff Rudolf Haykal continues to cooperate with Hezbollah and is reluctant to confront the group’s commanders in southern Lebanon. The officials also said the army had been ineffective in searches, locating infrastructure and finding weapons.

“There is no real friction between the Lebanese Army and Hezbollah,” a senior security official said, adding that Hezbollah would not want anyone to collect its weapons or destroy its infrastructure.

The official said the Lebanese Army chief of staff was not doing enough and that there was “no real enforcement”, with the army focused mainly on coordination.

Israel was therefore not rushing to agree to additional pilot areas, the official said.

The official also described an incident in which Lebanese troops entered an underground opening for only a few metres before turning back.

“They did not dare to go inside,” the official said, adding that Israel assessed the Lebanese Army would not address the issue despite continuing to request additional coordinates.

By Aghakazim Guliyev