Israel’s Lebanon dilemma: Withdrawals, border security and reserve force concerns

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

Israeli security agencies consider the situation in southern Lebanon to have entered a highly complex phase, amid U.S. and international pressure to reach diplomatic understandings with Beirut, including Israeli withdrawals from areas entered by the army.

Amid the evolving situation and time pressure, the Israeli military has developed an intensive plan aimed at strengthening what it describes as its defense of the international border line between Lebanon and Israel, including communities near the border fence.

As part of the plan, the army is reinforcing its presence along the Yellow Line to counter potential infiltration attempts, gunfire, drone activity and anti-tank missile launches by Hezbollah.

The military plan coincides with the presence of a U.S. military team that has been traveling between Tel Aviv and Beirut since the beginning of July.

U.S.-Israeli coordination extends beyond Lebanon and also includes Iran-related issues. Despite Israeli reports that U.S. President Donald Trump does not want Israel to participate in the current confrontation with Iran, the two countries' air forces are conducting joint exercises.

Meanwhile, Israel has promoted its involvement in strikes against Iran by highlighting the intelligence it has provided to the U.S. military regarding targets there.

Amid preparations by the air force for a possible attack on Iran and increased ground forces activity to achieve objectives in southern Lebanon, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir has presented decision-makers with a new challenge: the reserve forces.

Zamir has ordered reductions in the military presence in Gaza and Lebanon in preparation for strengthening the West Bank front. The military establishment has warned decision-makers that the operational capacity of reserve soldiers has reached its limits and is close to collapse.