IDF Troops Raise Israeli Flag Over Southern Lebanon Town
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority featured footage from Lebanon this week which showed Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops raising the Israeli flag on Lebanese territory, after pushing Hezbollah out of the area.
The ongoing ground invasion to degrade and dismantle Hezbollah had been previewed as 'limited' and as expected to last for a few weeks, according to government officials, but the highly controversial planting of the flag could suggest an indefinite occupation of some parts of southern Lebanon.
תיעוד: רגעי הנפת דגל ישראל במארון א-ראס שבלבנון@ItayBlumental
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(צילום: צוות אביר 91 ביחידת הבלנ"מ) https://t.co/6oJHmUx0lA pic.twitter.com/98B7VLiAKI
The incident happened Tuesday, and involved several IDF troops planting the flag in the village of Maroun el-Ras in Bint Jbeil district in Nabatieh. This location is about a kilometer away from the border.
The soldiers can be heard saying in Hebrew in the video: "Pay attention to the Iranian promenade/boardwalk, in front of Avivim" - in reference to the closest Israeli settlement on the other side of the UN-demarcated border.
Iranian officials over the years were known to have visited the now destroyed spot, which is called "Iran Garden" - and is a vantage point from which Iranian leaders could peer into Israel from a high point, and which had memorials to past Hezbollah and Iranian officials.
Lebanese tourism guide companies have described it as "a place that commemorates Hezbollah's resilience against the Israeli invasion in 2006."
Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had reportedly visited the spot over a decade ago. It now appears to be rubble after this week's fighting. Israel's YNet has described of the location:
The garden was well-maintained with tables for hosting visitors, a green plaza with seating areas, a cafeteria and an amphitheater overlooking Avivim. It also featured a playground for children, guard towers facing Israel, stone arches, a parking lot and a water well.
Its centerpiece was a model of the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount, and a cutout of the former Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani, pointing toward Israel was also present at the site.
Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen in follow-up has confirmed the Israeli army has effectively "occupied" the village and "destroyed the houses from which Hezbollah launched anti-tank missiles at Israeli civilians."
And Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the same day strongly signaled expanded operations are coming, also as an Israeli Navy warship is parked off the southern Lebanese port city of Tyre. He called for the Lebanese population to "free" the country from Hezbollah or they will face "destruction and suffering like we see in Gaza."