Operation Northern Shield Comes to an End

On January 12, the IDF exposed an additional Hezbollah attack tunnel that had been dug from the Lebanese village of Ramyeh into Israel. This attack tunnel spans 870 yards on the Lebanese side, dozens of yards on the Israeli side, and was dug by Hezbollah 180 ft. under the ground. It will be neutralized in the coming days.

With this development, the IDF has now exposed all the attack tunnels dug from Lebanon into Israel. The IDF Spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis, declared Sunday, January 14, that Operation Northern Shield will now be coming to a close. The IDF launched the operation on December 4, 2018, with the goal of exposing and neutralizing attack tunnels dug by the Hezbollah terror organization from Lebanon into Israeli territory. They planned to use the tunnels to attack Israelis living in Israel’s northern border with Lebanon.

The IDF will continue conducting a broad defense effort on the Lebanese border until the neutralization effort is completed. This includes integrating various means and technologies, such as continuing the construction of the defensive barrier (the Defensive Obstacle Project). In addition, IDF troops and the underground detection laboratory will continue operating regularly along the Lebanese border in order to protect Israeli civilians.

As the sovereign power in the country, the Lebanese government is responsible for all terror that emanates from within it, including Hezbollah’s cross-border tunnel efforts. The IDF is determined to carry out the task of protecting Israeli civilians and will continue operating in the area and will monitor possible underground activity.

Hezbollah, the Iran-backed terror group, has overtaken southern Lebanon. Their plan of attack against Israel, called “Conquer the Galilee,” is comprised of several components. The underground attack tunnels were the most clandestine of all, intended to aid the terror group in surprise attacks and kidnappings of Israeli civilians and soldiers. Operation Northern Shield foiled this plan.

Both this plan and the tunnels themselves constitute a grave violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which was implemented as an end to the Second Lebanon War in 2006. It calls for a disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon, no armed forces except for UNIFIL and the Lebanese army south of the Litani River, and full respect of the Blue Line (the Israel-Lebanon border), among other requirements.   

Timeline of key events in Operation Northern Shield:

December 4, 2018: The IDF exposes Hezbollah’s tunnel operation, including a tunnel reaching from the Lebanese village of Kafr Kela into Israeli territory.

December 6, 2018: The Commander of the IDF Northern Command, Maj. Gen. Yoel Strik, met with the Head of Mission of UNIFIL, the Italian General Stefano Del Col. UNIFIL is tasked with ensuring Lebanon and Israel keep to UN Resolution 1701. These cross-border tunnels represent a massive violation.   

December 8, 2018: The IDF uncovers yet another attack tunnel.

December 9, 2018: IDF Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot held a meeting with the Head of Mission of UNIFIL, the Gen. Stefano Del Col. Lt. Gen. Eisenkot reiterated the importance of Resolution 1701, and stressed that any violation on the Lebanese side is the fault and responsibility of the government of Lebanon.

December 11, 2018: The IDF locates another cross-border Hezbollah attack tunnel.

December 16, 2018: The IDF locates a cross-border Hezbollah attack tunnel, originating in Ramyeh, Lebanon. Troops layed explosives on the Israeli side; any Hezbollah operative who enters from Lebanon would be making a lethal mistake.

December 17, 2018: UNIFIL releases a statement about the attack tunnels, confirming that the tunnels cross the border into Israel and declaring that they “constitute violations of UN Security Council resolution 1701.”

December 20, 2018: The neutralization and destruction phase of Operation Northern Shield begins. The tunnels are destroyed either by explosive detonation or by filling them with a concrete mixture.

December 21, 2018: Another tunnel originating from Ramyeh is uncovered and neutralized by the IDF.

December 26, 2018: The IDF uncovers another Hezbollah attack tunnel, this time dug from Ayta ash Shab. The IDF neutralized it with explosives.

December 27, 2018: The IDF uncovers a Hezbollah attack tunnel dug from Kafr Kela into Israeli territory. It was filled with concrete from the Israeli side, which spilled out into the tunnel opening in Lebanon.

 January 13, 2019: The final attack tunnel, stretching from the village of Ramyeh into Israel territory, is uncovered and neutralized.

Although the operation is coming to an end, the IDF will continue to protect Israel’s civilians from Hezbollah’s terror.