IDF officers doubt Lebanese army can keep the peace against Hezbollah, Givati chiefs tell 'Post'

Lead

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir met with US Commander of Marine Forces Central Command Lt.-Gen. Joseph Clearfield on Wednesday to promote Lebanon-related coordination mechanisms impacting Israel, the Lebanese Army, and Hezbollah, as reported by The Jerusalem Post. The meeting comes amid a series of recent talks between Israeli and American officials aimed at advancing the deployment of the Lebanese Army to new areas in southern Lebanon, a step intended to ensure Hezbollah's absence from those zones and enable partial IDF withdrawals.

Coverage Comparison

The Jerusalem Post reports that Zamir and Clearfield's meeting focused on coordination mechanisms, with Zamir reiterating Israel's position that efforts to reduce conflict, secure areas from Hezbollah, and facilitate partial withdrawals must be conducted independently of Iranian influence. The IDF chief also emphasized, consistent with recent Israeli statements to US officials, that Hezbollah is at a historic weak point and that the closeness of the Lebanese government to Israeli positions is at a high point. He stressed that this window should not be wasted in a way that would allow Hezbollah to rearm.

In a separate report, the Post highlights significant skepticism within the IDF about the Lebanese army's effectiveness in maintaining peace against Hezbollah's attempts to rearm and restore its capabilities. IDF Givati Brigade Chief Col. “E” told the Post in an interview, “We are skeptical about their abilities because their power is nothing compared to Hezbollah, but maybe the legitimacy it gives us will create some change. We need the Lebanese army to undermine Hezbollah.”

Key Claims

• IDF-US meeting: Zamir and Clearfield met to advance coordination mechanisms related to Lebanon, with Clearfield serving as the senior US coordinator for Israel and Lebanon, supported by around 30 American military officials prior to the 2026 war.

• Lebanese army deployment: The Lebanese Army is deploying to new areas in southern Lebanon to ensure Hezbollah is out of those areas, allowing for partial Israeli withdrawals.

• Hezbollah's weakness: Israeli officials view Hezbollah as being at a historic weak point, with the Lebanese government's alignment with Israeli positions at a high point.

• IDF skepticism: IDF officers, including Givati Brigade Chief Col. “E”, express doubt about the Lebanese army's capacity to counter Hezbollah's rearmament and capability restoration.

• Givati Brigade's record: The Givati Brigade killed over 200 Hezbollah operatives during recent operations, while suffering losses including eight soldiers killed.

• Post-October 7 mindset: Col. “E” noted that the IDF is no longer naive after October 7, emphasizing the need to remain offensive-minded and ready to strike harder and faster in any future conflict.

• Territorial handover: IDF Givati Brigade Weapons Commander Lt.-Col. “I” observed Lebanese army forces moving into areas where the Givati Brigade was leaving, with coordination handled by higher-level IDF and US officials. The handover occurred days before the IDF officially acknowledged transferring territory in two key southern Lebanon locations.