Israeli brigade on Lebanon border was handed 'faulty weapons'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
2 Jan 2024 19:34
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Israeli media says that the Carmeli Brigade deployed in the north received defective weapons in haste following the October 7 operation.

An Israeli occupation soldier stands position in northern occupied Palestine along the border with Lebanon near a Hezbollah flag in September 2022 (AFP)

An Israeli journalist revealed on Tuesday that the Israeli army supplied an entire reserve battalion deployed to northern Palestine on the border with Lebanon with faulty weapons, citing hastiness following Operation Al-Aqsa Flood carried out by the Resistance in Gaza.

According to Israeli Chanel 12, when the emergency recruitment started after the October 7 operation, soldiers from the Carmeli Reserve Brigade in the Northern Command were provided with weapons unfit for use.

It pointed out that it took the Israeli army some time to realize the extent of the problem, with troops near the Lebanese borders carrying defective Tavor assault rifles.

It also explained that the Israeli army leadership skipped the usual procedures for inspecting the weapons and conducting testing. After several days, they began firing in improvised shooting ranges, and it became apparent that at least 100 Israeli soldiers from the brigade had received faulty weapons.

However, following investigations, the issue with the handed arms turned out to be more widespread than initially assumed.

A number of soldiers and officers from the brigade raised concerns with the Division Commander when they discovered they had been deployed for combat with defective weaponry. While the commander assured them that he would look into the issue and provide explanations, no satisfactory responses were received by anyone.

In the end, a decision was made to replace the weapons of an entire battalion, with several hundred weapons being replaced to avoid any risks, the media outlet said.

For more than 80 days now, the northern settlements have been on edge, anticipating an imminent war, the outlet reported. They dread the war because they understand the tremendous risks that it holds, especially after witnessing Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.

Israeli media outlets warned on Sunday that without the support of the United States, the war with Hezbollah would be fought with "sticks and stones."

Amnon Abramovich, a political analyst for Israeli Channel 12, stated, "I don't want to violate censorship laws, but if Hezbollah initiates a war against us, which was prevented by US President Joe Biden, we would be forced to fight Hezbollah with sticks and stones."

Furthermore, the former Israeli "National Security Council", Giora Eiland, acknowledged last week that the problem in the north is complicated. He added that the occupation entity is at a strategic loss as long as the northern settlers cannot return to their residences.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the number of Israelis who evacuated northern occupied Palestine as a result of Hezbollah's operations has exceeded 230,000.

Meanwhile, Israeli media said that fear is mounting among settlers in the north as the Resistance in Lebanon continues to carry out daily operations with no signs that it is deterred by any actions the occupation army is taking.