“I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies. (Psalm 18:3)
Last week Israel discovered “terror tunnels” running from Lebanon directly into Israel by which Hezbollah intended to sneak in terrorists “under our noses”.
Thank God, Israel destroyed the tunnels before they became operational.
Tensions have remained high on the northern border since the last war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006 which lasted 35 days. It began when Hezbollah terrorists launched a raid into Israel, killing eight soldiers and kidnapping two others who also died.
Israel warned Hezbollah not to interfere with the tunnel demolition or face the Israeli Defense Force’s (IDF) massive military force.
Hezbollah, in turn, threatened to attack Israel with its vast rocket arsenal.
The first tunnel the IDF discovered started in a Lebanese civilian home and was at least 200m (650ft) long, running 40m inside Israel near the border town of Metulla. (At that time the area was declared a closed zone.) The second tunnel was discovered close to that area and two others were found shortly afterward.
In the opinion of an Israeli army colonel, the tunnels were part of a plan by Hezbollah to “conquer the Galilee” region of Israel in a future conflict.
Imagine; had Israel not discovered those tunnels, thousands of hate-filled terrorists would have emerged from them directly into northern Israel, storming the homes of unsuspecting Israelis. Men, women, and children would have been massacred and many taken hostage. Waiving flags victoriously, Hezbollah terrorists would yell “Allah Akbar” and “we have liberated the Galilee.” And should Israel respond, Hezbollah would fire thousands of long-range missiles into every part of Israel.
Thank God for “Operation Northern Shield,” launched Dec. 4th whereby Israel foiled the plans of the enemy. Israeli intelligence collected data over a span of four years and the hi-technical engineering army unit developed ways and means to detect and destroy dozens of tunnels along the common border.
This impressive operation, in cooperation with high-ranking army commanders, intelligence units and members of the political echelon was planned out in secrecy for four years until the day of the operation in order to ensure the ability to catch the enemy by surprise. This is a miracle in itself.
Hezbollah, a Shi’a Islamist militant organization and political party based in Lebanon headed by Hassan Nasrallah, does not recognize Israel’s right to exist and has been accused of carrying out a string of bombings and plots against Jewish and Israeli targets around the world over decades. Israel has also reportedly carried out killings against Hezbollah figures.
Hezbollah has built up an extensive arsenal since the 2006 conflict, possibly possessing up to 150,000 rockets.
Israel has said it will not allow Hezbollah to obtain advanced missiles and frequently carries out airstrikes on arms being transferred to the organization through Syria.
Tension on the Lebanese Border
The situation is very delicate and can spark an eruption, if not treated carefully. Soldiers on both sides of the “Blue Line,” bordered with concertina wire separating them are within touching distance. The “Blue Line” is the demarcation between Lebanon and Israel set by the UN after the end of the 2006 war.
Lebanese soldiers rushed to the point of conflict on Monday after Israeli troops rolled out barbed wire along the border, protesting that the wire was placed on their side of the border.
The Israeli army said the wire was installed entirely in Israeli territory, in coordination with UN peacekeepers. Both Israeli and Lebanese soldiers are so close that even a small incident can cause an explosion. Israeli backup soldiers are on watch to make sure Hezbollah terrorists are not hiding anywhere close, trying to interrupt or sabotage Israeli efforts. It is a very volatile situation. An IDF statement said, “Operations along the border continue as planned, both on overt and covert levels.”
Proof to the World
On the diplomatic level, Israel succeeded in proving to the world the schemes of its enemy to the north – Hezbollah. Even CNN sent one of its own cameras down into the tunnel to document the plans of Hezbollah against Israel. On Tuesday, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit put out an English-language video aimed at the international community showing the danger Hezbollah presents not just to Israel but also to the citizens of Lebanon.
[Film from newscast, video will have English speaking in the middle]
UN Interim Forces in Lebanon, who were called to the site, confirmed that two of the tunnels cross the Blue Line. “These constitute violations of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701″ (by Hezbollah).
Israel has called on the international community to impose new sanctions on the Iranian-backed Hezbollah, the heavily armed mini-army with an arsenal of some 130,000 of rockets that can reach nearly every part of Israel.
PM Netanyahu, during a tour of the northern border, said: “we shall totally nullify the Hezbollah tunnel threat.” Israeli officials have indicated that the IDF may operate within Lebanese territory, if necessary, to destroy the tunnels.
Israel holds the Lebanese government responsible for the tunnels being dug inside its territory. Lebanese President Michel Aoun, a Hezbollah ally, said Tuesday that the United States assured him that Israel has “no aggressive intentions” with its Operation Northern Shield.
The IDF will construct an access to the first Hezbollah terror tunnel near Metula as a model. It will become a site for diplomats and foreign correspondents to visit and see with their own eyes (and cameras) what Israel has discovered. [Read More About Hezbollah]
Please pray for our leadership to have Godly wisdom and strength in facing of these issues. Please stand with us in faith on the promises and Word of God. We know that the God is Israeli’s protector. He never slumbers nor sleeps. Please pray with us for the people of Israel, asking God to open the eyes of the hearts of many as they are looking for help from men. May many realize that God is our Helper.
We love and appreciate you very much. We would love to hear from you – any comments, questions and/or prayer requests. Again we would like to thank you for your prayers and financial support. We pray for you too from Zion, for God to supply all your needs and bless you greatly.
For the salvation of Israel and the nations,
In His love,
Simcha and Bella Davidov, Ashdod, Israel