Restoring security to the north is ‘national goal of highest order,’ Netanyahu says on Lebanese border

IDF confirms rare airstrike on Syria-Lebanon border, killing 3 PIJ terrorists

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the northern border on Wednesday. His office announced this visit several hours after he had left the area, which has been subjected to constant Hezbollah fire since last October.

After a situation assessment with Northern Command OC Maj.-Gen. Uri Gordin regarding the aftermath of Sunday’s Israeli strikes that prevented a large-scale attack by Hezbollah, Netanyahu visited a kibbutz in Upper Galilee.

There he met with soldiers and commanders of Golani Brigade’s 13th Battalion, who he praised for their “great work.” Calling the strikes against Hezbollah “a great success,” Netanyahu said: “I’m not telling you this is enough, on the contrary.”

“I said a simple truth – it’s not the end of the story. When will it be over? Only once we can restore security and return the residents to their homes in a secure manner. This isn’t a slogan, it’s a national goal of the highest order, and we’re committed to achieving it,” the prime minister said.

Several hours later, Israel Defense Forces, in a rare statement, confirmed reports of an airstrike in Syria earlier on Wednesday.

An Israeli aircraft “earlier today attacked in the Syria-Lebanon border area, and… eliminated Fares Qassem, a key terrorist in the operations department of the PIJ terrorist organization,” the IDF stated.

Qassem was entrusted with creating operational plans for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist organization in Syria and Lebanon, and played a central role in the recruitment of Palestinian terrorists for Hezbollah against Israel, the IDF stated.

“In recent years, the terrorist organization Hezbollah, directed and financed by Iran, has been systematically recruiting Palestinian elements in order to promote terrorist activity against Israel from Lebanese territory.”

“In the attack, several more terrorists from the GAP terrorist organization, who were on their way from Syria to Lebanon for the purpose of carrying out terrorist activities for Hezbollah, were eliminated,” the IDF statement read.

According to the KAN news outlet, Israel has eliminated approximately 30 PIJ terrorists in Syria and Lebanon during the war so far. Israel estimates that hundreds of PIJ terrorists are operating under the umbrella of Hezbollah.

Daily Update, August 28, 2024 - 15:00 - Northern Arena
1.This morning (August 28) A vehicle was attacked in Syria on Highway 1, which connects Damascus with the main border crossing to Lebanon (Jdaidit Yabws / Masnaa). According to local reports, three Palestinian Islamic Jihad… pic.twitter.com/RuDt72zMDS
— Israel-Alma (@IsraelAlmaorg) August 28, 2024

Alongside the PIJ terrorists, the strike also eliminated a Lebanese Hezbollah terrorist named Mohammad Hassan Ta, according to the Alma Research Center. He hailed from Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, a stronghold of the Shi’ite terror group, the location of many of its strategic weapon depots, and a central linchpin in its wide-ranging weapons smuggling program.

“There is a possibility that this was a specialized cell of the Islamic Jihad operatives, trained in Syria/Iran, on route to Lebanon to carry out a specific operation against Israel under Hezbollah’s direction,” Alma wrote.

On Wednesday evening, Hezbollah launched two rockets toward the town of Kiryat Shmona, which landed in open areas.

The IDF reported that it struck a Hezbollah terror squad near al-Adaisa, as well as observation posts in al-Adaisa and Kafr Kila.