Three Lebanese army troops were injured and one was killed by IDF fire on December 5, 2023, in the Tel Aweida area of southern Lebanon, west of Kafr Kila and south of Deir Mimas. The event occurred in a location where Hezbollah conducts military action and classifies it as a military zone. From this area, Hezbollah launches mortars and rockets and conducts observations towards Israel. Hezbollah activity in this area was targeted around two months ago, on October 15. A Lebanese Army Forces (LAF) base is located near Hezbollah’s operating area. The IDF outpost “Galgalit” operated there until May 2000.
In Lebanon, Hezbollah uses and exploits the civilian population, UNIFIL, and the LAF as human shields. Hezbollah hopes that IDF retaliation fire will harm the human shield, limiting IDF activity and increasing international pressure on Israel. Since the battle began around two months ago, it has been evident that a portion of Hezbollah’s military activities employs and exploits civilians, UNIFIL bases, and the LAF as human shields (examples of human shields can be seen in the Appendix).
The IDF won’t attack the LAF. Only if the LAF physically turns its Weapon against the IDF will it be targeted. In our opinion, the December 5 event in which LAF soldiers were hit by IDF fire would not have occurred if Hezbollah had not purposefully acted near a LAF post. Hezbollah utilized LAF troops as human shields.
Collaboration is another issue in the context of the LAF and Hezbollah. Many LAF soldiers and officers support Hezbollah. Shiites make up approximately 45 percent of those serving in the LAF. Hezbollah uses LAF facilities, vehicles, and equipment with the consent of troops and officers (mainly Shiites) in the LAF, who occasionally aid Hezbollah in its activities.
If war breaks out against Hezbollah, and the IDF conducts ground maneuvers in Lebanon, we believe that some Lebanese army units (including Shiite soldiers) will join the fighting alongside Hezbollah, or at the very least, Shiite soldiers will leave the army and fight alongside Hezbollah.
Appendix – The following are some examples of Hezbollah’s military activity near human shields in its various forms:
