Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eizenkot, today (Tuesday, 11 December 2018), at IDF Northern Command headquarters, held a security assessment with GOC Northern Command Maj.-Gen. Yoav Strick and other senior commanders.

 

Prime Minister Netanyahu received a security briefing on progress in Operation Northern Shield and on the action of units in the area.

 

Prime Minister Netanyahu then discussed operational issues with the regional brigade commanders and the battalion commanders of the units on operational duty along the northern border.

 

Following the briefings, Prime Minister Netanyahu met with commanders and soldiers in the field.

 

Following are excerpts from Prime Minister Netanyahu's remarks:

 

"I just met with the Chief-of-Staff, GOC Northern Command, and the brigade and battalion commanders and now I am talking with the soldiers. Before all else, I am impressed by the spirit here and there are results. We have just exposed a third tunnel. We are systematically dismantling the tunnels weapon.

 

The most important thing is the readiness here – both in spirit and in materiel – for a much stronger response if Hezbollah makes a major mistake and decides to attack us or oppose our action. Hezbollah will be dealt unimaginable blows.

 

The most important thing is the spirit of the commanders and the fighters. It is strong and steadfast, and they are well prepared.

 

Hezbollah thought that it could dig unhindered. We knew, we planned, and it did not leak. We maintained secrecy; we planned carefully. We are carrying out exactly what we planned but we are ready for the unexpected. There is great firepower here. We are ready for it and are prepared for it from all sides."

 

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"The operation will continue as long as necessary. It is currently proceeding at a very good pace. It is even slightly ahead of schedule. It will continue as long as necessary until we completely deny Hezbollah the tunnels weapon.

 

Think what could have happened. Think if we were not doing this. Think of some foggy day, Hezbollah would emerge from the tunnels and abduct people. Think of what situation the State of Israel could have found itself in with Hezbollah on killing and abduction sprees inside our territory, something that has not happened since 1948. Imagine what could have happened and understand that this is a great and very important step. The efforts to dismiss or ridicule this – they are ridiculous. This is a very important step here.

 

This is a major operation that is important to the security of Israel. Everyone can understand this if they only think of what could happen if we were not doing this and they were doing it to us.

 

I estimate that Hezbollah understands that we are well prepared for any attempt on its part to respond and it realizes that we have a great force here opposite it. I tell you now that it does not fully grasp it."

 

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"This evening an IDF delegation will leave for Moscow, according to my agreement with President Putin. It will explain our operation here and it will make it unequivocally clear that Israel maintains its right and obligation to act against an Iranian military entrenchment in Syria, also a Hezbollah entrenchment in Syria and that of Iran's proxies here, in their attempt to dig tunnels under the border.

 

We will do everything necessary and I estimate that this message will be passed on very clearly to our Russian counterparts."

 

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Prime Minister Netanyahu then met with northern local council heads. Following is an excerpt from his remarks:

 

"We are in the middle of an operation to neutralize the tunnels threat. This is part of the main effort that we are making to neutralize the Hezbollah threat to the State of Israel. We are neutralizing Hezbollah's precision weaponry with impressive success. We are fighting against imprecise weaponry and now is the third effort – neutralizing the tunnels threat.

 

The tunnels threat, if it could have been realized, would strike at you, at your residents and at our soldiers here. Hezbollah would have no problem emerging from the ground, abducting people and taking them into a tunnel, or alternatively, going on killing and abduction sprees inside your communities. With the current operation we are denying them this.

 

The IDF is doing exceptional work here. I must also praise the planning and the secrecy, also in the Security Cabinet. These achievements are contributing to neutralizing the enemy's weapons. I gain the impression here that there is great readiness on the part of our commanders and fighters to meet any scenario. If there is escalation, it will be very strong and harsh from Hezbollah's perspective. I want to commend your resilience, steadfastness and backing. These will last us for many years."