Did the IDF’s failure to enforce its own red lines lead to the deaths of two reservists and the serious injuries of four others during combat operations in southern Lebanon on Wednesday?

Israeli military correspondents reported a possible connection, explaining that the village where the tragic incident occurred, Majdal Zoun, is only a kilometer away from the village of Al-Mansouri, where it was revealed yesterday that Lebanese civilians had returned, although it is located within the Israeli security zone. The IDF, which was tasked with preventing the return of the villagers, turned a blind eye to their return.

Mako military correspondent Shai Levy reported that the Lebanese civilians returned to the village under the protection of the Lebanese army, which set up a checkpoint in the area in violation of the US-brokered Israel-Lebanon agreements. According to Levy, not only did the IDF fail to stop the residents from returning to the village but it hid that fact from the Israeli public.

Army Radio military correspondent Doron Kadosh wrote: “Without yet knowing whether this constituted a ceasefire violation, or whether the explosive device that detonated yesterday inside the booby-trapped building had been planted recently, consider the proximity between the village of Majdal Zoun, where the incident occurred, and the village of Al-Mansouri, where it emerged yesterday that Lebanese civilians had recently returned under the protection of the Lebanese Army, while the IDF turned a blind eye.

“Only one kilometer separates the two villages. Both lie within the security buffer zone, which the IDF is ostensibly supposed to control and keep free of civilian entry, even if it does not maintain a permanent presence there.

“If civilians recently returned to Al-Mansouri, it is entirely possible that Hezbollah terrorists were also able to return, reaching a point just one kilometer from Majdal Zoun.

“As part of its investigation into the incident in Majdal Zoun, the IDF will have to examine whether there is any connection between the return of civilians to Al-Mansouri and the attack.

“It should be noted that yesterday we contacted the IDF Spokesperson’s Office seeking to understand how civilians were allowed to return to Al-Mansouri and why the IDF had not informed the public about it. No response has yet been received.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)