Jerusalem, July 9: The Israeli military on Wednesday confirmed the completion of a series of targeted ground operations in southern Lebanon aimed at dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure and weapons stockpiles.
According to a statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), troops carried out raids in multiple locations, including the Labbouneh area, where they discovered a cache of weapons hidden in dense vegetation. The arsenal reportedly included a multi-barrel rocket launcher, heavy machine guns, dozens of explosive devices, and an underground weapons storage facility—all of which were subsequently destroyed.
In another operation, IDF forces located and dismantled a Hezbollah compound containing weapons depots and firing positions. These operations, the military said, were intended to prevent Hezbollah from re-establishing a military foothold in the area.
The raids come despite a ceasefire agreement signed in November 2024, which ended over a year of intense cross-border hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. However, sporadic Israeli airstrikes have continued, primarily targeting what the IDF claims are Hezbollah arms depots and military infrastructure.
“The presence of Hezbollah weapons and activity in these areas constitutes a direct violation of the ceasefire understandings,” the IDF said, emphasizing that it “will continue to operate to remove any threat posed to Israel.”
The military also confirmed the earlier elimination of Mohammad Khader Al-Husseini, a senior Hezbollah commander responsible for the group’s firepower operations in the Litani sector of southern Lebanon.
While airstrikes have been frequent since the ceasefire, ground operations beyond the five strategic posts held by the IDF in southern Lebanon have been rare. The latest operations mark a significant escalation in Israel’s efforts to curtail Hezbollah’s activities along the border.
Hezbollah has yet to issue a response to the latest Israeli claims and actions.
