Israeli Reserve Colonel Jacques Neriah stated that many of Hezbollah's tunnels in southern Lebanon are designed as traps.

In an interview with the Israeli Channel 13, Neriah described how Hezbollah fighters permit Israeli forces to advance before launching attacks from the rear once they've passed. He noted that this tactic has been employed on several recent occasions, with Hezbollah gaining confidence from its repeated successes.

Neriah, who previously served as an advisor to former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, emphasized that "Hezbollah has now regained its strength."

He further warned that Hezbollah is maintaining its momentum and likely anticipates that Israeli forces will push deeper into southern Lebanon, providing the group with opportunities to launch attacks.

"This is something Israel must be wary of, as Hezbollah continues to be encouraged by its recent victories," Neria cautioned.

The colonel also referenced Hezbollah’s recent statement calling for the evacuation of 25 Israeli settlements, pointing out that "they are employing the same tactics we used in Beirut."

Hezbollah issues evacuation orders for northern Israeli settlers

The Lebanese Resistance issued an evacuation order on Saturday evening directed at Israeli settlers in 25 settlements in northern occupied Palestine, reciprocating the threats of the Israeli occupation forces who had been forcing people to flee their homes in numerous areas across Lebanon.

The Israeli occupation forces, through their Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee, had been issuing evacuation orders for areas within Beirut's Southern Suburb, Southern Lebanon, the Bekaa, and even more recently a huge portion of the city of Tyre, before bombing civilian homes less than an hour following the publication of the warnings, all under the pretext that they contain military installations used by the Islamic Resistance.

The Military Media Unit of the Islamic Resistance in #Lebanon released a video warning Israeli settlers in settlements in northern occupied #Palestine to immediately evacuate.

The statement read, "To all residents of the settlements referred to in this statement: you are… pic.twitter.com/wBKJ1BCUnU

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 26, 2024

Hezbollah, meanwhile, stated that these settlements had become military outposts where Israeli occupation forces were stationed to launch attacks on Lebanon. Consequently, Hezbollah declared them legitimate military targets for its aerial and missile forces, calling on settlers to "evacuate immediately."

"You are requested to evacuate immediately. Your settlements have become a place of deployment and settlement for the enemy military forces attacking Lebanon. As a result, they have become legitimate military targets for the air and missile forces of the Islamic Resistance," the warning read.

The settlements included in the evacuation order are: Kiryat Shmona, Yesud HaMa'ala, Ayelet HaShahar, Hatzor HaGlilit, Karmeil, Maalot Tarshiha, Even Menachem, Nahariya, Rosh Pina, Shamir, Shaal, Meron, Kapri, Abirim, Dalton, Neve Ziv, Katzrin, Kfar Hanania, Manot, Beit HaEmek, Kfar Vradim, Harashim, Birya, Kidmat Tsvi, and Bar Yohai.

This notice follows a previous warning issued by Hezbollah's Operations Room on October 11, where it revealed that the Israeli military had established military points for its officers and soldiers within residential areas in northern settlements, transforming homes into military installations.

The statement noted that major occupied cities such as Haifa, Tabaraya, and Akka also host military bases operating from within settlement neighborhoods, contributing to the onslaught against Lebanon.

In that statement, Hezbollah warned settlers to avoid staying near these military facilities "for their own safety, until further notice," emphasizing that these homes and bases are deemed legitimate targets for Hezbollah’s missile and air forces.

Read next: Hezbollah publishes footage of targeting Merkava tank, settlements