To protect its civilians from Hezbollah attacks, Israel is building a wall along its border with Lebanon.
A senior Israeli military official emphasized the need for the barrier, saying that although Israeli intelligence monitors the terrorist group, “we are prepared for the possibility that they will surprise us,” according to Associated Press reporters on a military-led tour of the northern border.
The head of Israel’s barrier initiatives, Brig. Gen. Eran Ofir, said approximately several miles of the 80-mile wall has been built. The project is expected to cost $450 million and expected to be completed in two years. Most of the wall is made out of concrete and topped with steel mesh, cameras and sensors. Rugged areas will consist of steel fencing, as opposed to concrete.
The U.N. Security Council warned last month that violations of the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel could instigate another conflict. Lebanon’s top security body labeled the projected border wall as an “aggression” against the country’s sovereignty.
“This wall, if it is built, will be considered an aggression against Lebanon,” it said in a statement earlier this year. “The Higher Defense Council has given instructions to confront this aggression to prevent Israel from building this so-called wall barrier on Lebanese territory.”
This development comes as the Israel Defense Forces conducted a mass-scale simulation of war against Hezbollah along the northern border. It was the culmination of a 17-week training period conducted by the Paratroopers Brigade, including units from the Artillery Corps, Armored Corps and the Israeli Air Force.