Defense Minister Benny Gantz on Monday warned that "Israel will not hesitate to act" to defend itself against Iran or its proxies near the northern border.
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Gantz made the remarks during the memorial ceremony honoring the 73 soldiers killed in the 1997 helicopter disaster. The indecent, Israel's worst military air disaster on record, happened when two IAF transport helicopters ferrying soldiers into Israel's then-security zone in southern Lebanon collided in mid-air. There were no survivors.
President Reuven Rivlin, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, and Former IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. (ret.) Gadi Eizenkot also attended the service.
"I will never forget what I saw when I arrived on the scene," Gantz. then the commander of the Paratroopers Brigade, recalled. "Leaders have a responsibility to make sure that the memory and legacy of each one of them remain with us forever.
"I am proud of our military, of the Air Force, and especially its investigative practices, and I offer my full support to commanders who perform their duties to the best of their abilities, sometimes under challenging circumstances.
"At the same time, we should continue to send a message to every commander: the citizens of Israel entrust us with that which is most precious to them, and it is our duty to improve, learn, not become complacent or succumb to fatigue.
"I, as someone who grew up in the military system, know very well that this is what you, the commanders, always do, and I support you; I know how many lives have been saved thanks to these practices that we must constantly improve and preserve."
Addressing the escalating situation on the Israel-Lebanon border, Gantz said, "Three-and-a-half years after the [helicopter] disaster, we withdrew from Lebanon, with the blood of our soldiers absorbed in its soil. Since then, we made it clear time and again that we will not allow Hezbollah and the Iranians to turn Lebanon into a terror state.
"The IDF operates on the border to this day and will continue to do so. We will not hesitate to undermine Iran's efforts to entrench itself near our borders, and [Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah is well aware that his decision to build munition and missile bunkers and to perfect Hezbollah's [missile] capabilities, endangers him and the Lebanese people.
"The Lebanese government should also know this and assume responsibility for it. If Israel faces hostilities in the north, it [Lebanon] will be the one to pay the heaviest price for the weapons scattered in civilian locations."
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