Israel's top military commander, Eyal Zamir, gave moral support to the country's forces engaged in the ground offensive in southern Lebanon, saying that disarming the Islamist group Hezbollah was "the highest priority."
Over 1,000 Hezbollah terrorists have been eliminated, and the number will increase, Zamir said during a visit on Sunday to Ras al-Bayada in southern Lebanon, according to a statement from the Israeli military.
Meanwhile, the UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL was on alert against both Israeli attacks and attacks by Iran-backed Hezbollah. UNIFIL said late Sunday that attacks near its bases “may result in us returning fire.”
Lebanese President Michel Aoun said earlier on Sunday that Lebanon should negotiate with Israel after the Israelis threatened to demolish all houses near the border.
It is true that Israel may want to do the same thing to southern Lebanon as it did to Gaza, the president said in a televised speech, adding that Lebanon should try to save what has not yet been destroyed.
In addition to the house demolitions, there have been suggestions that Israeli forces may remain stationed in southern Lebanon in what they call a "security zone."
In Lebanon, 1,422 people have been killed and at least 1.2 million displaced since Israel's escalation in the country on March 2.
