In northern Israel, Israeli soldiers are actively preparing for confrontations with Hezbollah, facing regular clashes with the militant group in southern Lebanon.
Captain Yoshiahu, a 27-year-old reservist and father, joined the front on October 7, leaving behind his engineering studies.
His commitment and motivation reflect the soldiers’ dedication.
This mobilization came after Hamas launched a major attack on Israel, causing 1,200 civilian deaths.
Soldiers now patrol the 80-kilometer “Blue Line,” a United Nations demarcation between Lebanon and Israel.
Today’s conflicts consist of sporadic yet frequent shootouts, a change from the continuous rocket fire of the 2006 Lebanon War.
Israeli military reports drone threats and militant attacks. Consequently, they have evacuated nearly all civilians from the border area.
Towns like Menara in Upper Galilee have become ghost towns, with empty homes and abandoned belongings.
Recently, a house caught fire on November 17, and another collapsed under an anti-tank missile on November 23.
Hezbollah claims they only target military sites, but Israeli army spokesperson Olivier Rafowicz criticizes their attacks on civilian areas.
Colonel Rafowicz remains alert despite a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. He understands that peace can sometimes hide threats.
Israeli soldiers state they will defend their country, although they don’t start conflicts with Hezbollah.
Blue Line
An anonymous officer admits to previous mistakes but pledges not to repeat them.
Border clashes have resulted in over 109 deaths on the Lebanese side, mainly Hezbollah fighters, along with three journalists and nine Israelis, including six soldiers.
In the past seven weeks, the conflict in the Gaza Strip has caused about 15,000 deaths, according to Hamas.
The UN reports that the conflict has displaced over two-thirds of Gaza’s 2.4 million residents and led to the deaths of 70 Israeli soldiers in combat.
With information from AFP
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