IDF discovers additional Hezbollah terror tunnel crossing into Israel
“Whoever enters the tunnel from the Lebanese side risks his life,” IDF Spokespersons Brig.-Gen. Ronen Manelis said Saturday night.
By ANNA AHRONHEIMUpdated: DECEMBER 11, 2018 16:32IDF FORCES OPERATE DURING OPERATION NORTHERN SHIELD, DECEMBER 8, 2018 (IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
A second cross-border Hezbollah attack tunnel dug from Lebanon into Israeli territory was discovered on Saturday, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit announced.According to the military, while militants belonging to the Shiite terror organization had been working on it just hours before it was found, it poses no threat to Israeli residents.“Whoever enters the tunnel from the Lebanese side risks his life,” IDF Spokespersons Brig.-Gen. Ronen Manelis said Saturday night.“The Lebanese government is responsible for the digging of the tunnels from Lebanese territory. This is a serious violation of Resolution 1701 and of the sovereignty of the State of Israel,” he said.The route of the tunnel, which began in the Lebanese village of Ramiyeh, is under IDF control.On Friday the head of the IDF’s Northern Command, Maj.-Gen. Yoel Strick demanded that Commander of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Maj.-Gen. Stefano Del Col (UNIFIL) reach and neutralize all tunnels on the Lebanese side of the border.Earlier on Saturday IDF troops spotted three suspicious figures attempting to approach the border area where the IDF was operating as part of Operation Northern Shield carrying out tunnel excavation work.“The troops opened fire on the suspects as per the rules of engagement,” Manlis said, explaining that the men, who had taken advantage of the bad weather to steal IDF equipment, fled the area.According to Lebanon’s National News Agency IDF troops opened fire on a Lebanese army patrol “because of heavy fog in the area.”