Senior army officials accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of searching for a scapegoat to blame for Israel’s failures in Lebanon and the partial results of its confrontation with Iran, the Israel Hayom daily reported.
The officials said Netanyahu’s claim that he had instructed the army to “respond forcefully” to Hezbollah’s attacks in Lebanon was merely a political show aimed at easing domestic pressure, with no actual change in military directives.
The officials said Netanyahu was trying to portray the army as responsible for failing to deliver the results he had promised, while in reality, the military was operating strictly according to instructions from the political leadership.
They added that Israeli operations in Lebanon remain effectively restricted by the guidelines set by U.S. President Donald Trump, who announced the Lebanon ceasefire and later extended it by another three weeks.
The report said frustration is growing inside the army and wider security establishment over what officials described as Netanyahu’s attempt to shift responsibility for the disappointing outcome in Lebanon and the incomplete outcome of the confrontation with Iran.
