Confusion over Israeli army plan in Lebanon
On Monday, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the army had launched “a ground manoeuvre in Lebanon to remove threats and protect” the residents of northern Israel.
Katz said that “hundreds of thousands of Shiite residents of southern Lebanon who have fled or are fleeing their homes will not be allowed to return south of the Litani area until the security of the northern residents is ensured.”
But the Israeli media is reporting what appears to be a conflict between public statements regarding the nature of the operation and the operation’s actual intentions.
On Monday, Haaretz cited military sources who said that Israeli ground operations are directed at removing Hezbollah operatives from the border area, not stripping the missile threat from Lebanon.
