Hezbollah launched a large-scale attack against Israeli army forces invading southern Lebanon using intense fire, rockets, and mortar shells. The attack killed one paratrooper and wounded three seriously.
Criticism within the army focuses on the fact that instead of stabilizing the situation or completing the mission, the high command decided to rapidly withdraw, leaving behind several engineering vehicles.
Senior army officials described this decision as a “moral and leadership failure,” saying such an event “shouldn’t have led to a panicked withdrawal, and it shouldn’t have reached this point”.
The incident didn’t end there. Shortly after the withdrawal, Hezbollah elements reached the abandoned engineering vehicles and booby-trapped them to harm returning forces. The Israeli army discovered this and, due to the great danger, made a quick decision to destroy the vehicles.
Army sources acknowledge this was a serious incident involving both leadership and operational failures. Criticism isn’t just about the withdrawal method but also decisions that “exacerbated the situation and gave the other side a moral victory”.
Leaving engineering equipment in enemy territory is extremely unusual, especially when it can serve the enemy. The Israeli army confirms a comprehensive investigation is underway to examine the sequence of events, including decision-making under fire. However, it’s unclear if this investigation has actually started beyond a preliminary review.
Source: Israeli media (translated and edited by Al-Manar English Website)