Givati Brigade Commander Col. Netanel Shamaka shared his thoughts after being part of that operation that took control of the Beaufort Ridge outpost and Wadi al-Saluki areas north of the Litani River in an interview posted on the IDF's website on Tuesday.
The IDF announced that soldiers, including from the Givati Brigade, took control of the area on Sunday.
“The first stage was preparing the crossings over the Litani,” Shamaka said, explaining the early stages of the operation, which began several weeks before the IDF's Sunday announcement.
Soldiers had to clear brush, level terrain, and build passages for other soldiers to travel through. At the same time, after the IDF had established a position in the area, soldiers were tasked with clearing it of terrorists and terror infrastructure.
“As we advanced along the river or up the ridge, we identified many launchers, weapons, and above us – artillery fire. At a time like this, I think to myself how important it is that we are here and what the significance of all this is,” Shamaka said.
After clearing the area of terrain-based challenges and enemy operatives, the soldiers declared the mission a success.
'Thinking about the soldiers who fell heroically on the way there'
“Standing there, on the summit of the ridge, alongside all the forces that took part, brought mixed emotions,” Shamaka stated. “Looking back at the northern communities we are protecting, but also remembering and thinking about the soldiers who fell heroically on the way there.”
The Givati Brigade has been primarily focused on fighting in the Gaza Strip over the last several years, with the transition to Lebanon requiring it to adapt to a stark change in terrain. Nevertheless, they managed to secure a defensive line.
“During this period, we did not skip any training, any exercise, or preparation for the new terrain," Shamka noted, "We studied the nature of the enemy and the fighting we would encounter, practiced it, and deeply integrated the changes throughout the brigade.”
Just before crossing the border into Lebanon for the first time with his soldiers, who had previously been fighting in Gaza, Shamaka made sure to mark the significant milestone.
“Before I am a brigade commander, I am a soldier," Shamaka said. "And I remember the feelings of a soldier at moments like these. I knew I was responsible for thousands of soldiers standing before me. I wake up in the morning and go to sleep at night with this thought in my mind, and even now, as we achieve such great accomplishments, this is what drives me.”
'The public doesn’t know what achievements we have made'
On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted the IDF's tactical advances against Hezbollah.
“Today, we returned to Beaufort differently,” Netanyahu said. “We returned united, determined, and stronger than ever. I spoke with the fighters on the northern border on Friday. They told me: ‘Tell the people of Israel what we are doing here. Prime Minister, the public doesn’t know what achievements we have made.’”
The IDF had killed 8,000 Hezbollah terrorists since the start of the war, including about 3,000 since the start of Operation Roaring Lion and 700 in the past month, Netanyahu added.
“The capture of Beaufort is a dramatic stage and a dramatic change in the policy we are leading,” he said. “We have broken the barrier of fear. We are taking the initiative. We are operating on all fronts – in Syria, in Gaza, in Lebanon. We have established security zones beyond our borders to protect our communities.”
Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.