Commanders and soldiers currently involved in the fighting in Lebanon say the Israel Defense Forces has changed its open-fire rules in recent days, reducing troops' ability to prevent and respond to Hezbollah attacks and leaving soldiers vulnerable. "The open-fire rules right now are only to remove threats," one source said.
The accounts come against the backdrop of the publication of a memorandum of understanding between Iran and the US, which also mentions the Lebanese front, as well as criticism by President Donald Trump of Israel's policy in the sector.
"Every few minutes, a drone falls on a house where our soldiers are stationed. There is high-trajectory fire, they fire anti-tank missiles at vehicles, and we are limited in our ability to return fire. A week ago, in the same situation, if we had taken fire like this, we would have responded much more forcefully."
In addition, he said, senior field commanders were unable to understand the IDF's mission, given the uncertainty at the political level. "No one understands what is happening," the source said. "Even in situation assessments by senior commanders, they say, 'We don't know what will happen in two days.'"
This description presumably reflects the confusion and embarrassment that also exist at the top of Israel's political leadership regarding the continuation of the fighting in Lebanon.
In recent weeks, the IDF has advanced, at a heavy cost in human life, deep into Lebanon and established positions, among other places, on the Ali Taher ridge, which overlooks Nabatiyeh, the second-largest city in southern Lebanon. But now, after the memorandum of understanding signed this week by President Trump and Iran, significant confusion is evident among IDF forces operating in Lebanon.
Sources who spoke with Israel Hayom indicate that the IDF's advance has been almost completely halted, except for local tactical needs, leaving frontline troops exposed. "The army is now deep inside Lebanon," one of them said. "We passed Beaufort, we crossed the Litani. The forces are deployed and positioned there exposed, in full view."
The instructions the soldiers received were to defend themselves as much as possible, and forces on the line have taken cover in fortified buildings and entrenched themselves to reduce the chances of being hit. "We chose the strongest locations in order to protect the soldiers," said a source familiar with developments in Lebanon.
Over time, however, terrorists identify the buildings where IDF soldiers are staying and target them from a distance almost nonstop. Only today, four soldiers were wounded in the sector as a result of a Hezbollah attack. "The fire continues," the source said. "But apart from restricting the open-fire instructions, following the 'ceasefire,' nothing has changed. The feeling is that of sitting ducks on the ridge."
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit did not provide a response.
