The New York Times reports, citing two Israeli officials, that IDF troops in Lebanon have been ordered to open fire only against an immediate threat, and that any strike beyond that requires the chief of staff's direct approval. Additionally, soldiers are prohibited from demolishing houses and infrastructure in the security zone without senior officers' authorization — contradicting recent statements by Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz, according to the report.
The New York Times reported Monday evening, citing two Israeli officials, that IDF commanders have been significantly restricted in southern Lebanon. The report says soldiers may now open fire only against an immediate threat, and any strike outside that narrow definition requires the chief of staff's direct approval. Troops are also barred from demolishing houses and infrastructure inside the security zone without senior officers' authorization.
The report directly contradicts recent statements by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, who denied any policy change or limitation on IDF operational freedom in Lebanon. The restriction appears to formalize a policy shift that, as The Zioneer reported in previous bulletins, has been in place for days — a Galei Tzahal report on Sunday confirmed that a cease-fire directive in southern Lebanon predated the weekend deaths of five soldiers, and that any strike now requires chief-of-staff approval. This bulletin, citing two named Israeli officials via an on-record news organization, is the first such confirmation by an international outlet with named attribution sources.
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