Israeli military reveals large-scale covert operation during which IDF ground forces crossed into central Lebanon after seizing part of Litani River, marking one of the deepest ground raids of the campaign.
By World Israel News Staff
Israeli troops crossed the Litani River during a covert operation in southern Lebanon, killing Hezbollah fighters and destroying underground infrastructure in one of the deepest ground raids of the current campaign, the IDF said Tuesday.
The operation was carried out over the past week by a Golani Brigade combat team under the command of the 36th Division.
Troops from the Egoz commando unit and the Golani Reconnaissance Unit operated near Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, about 10 kilometers from the Israeli border, during the raid.
The IDF said the raid was aimed at clearing the Litani sector and establishing operational control in an area used by Hezbollah for rocket and mortar launches, weapons storage and underground movement.
According to the military, troops located Hezbollah staging positions, underground routes containing large quantities of weapons, arms depots and launchers. The Israeli Air Force struck more than 100 targets in support of the ground forces.
The IDF said troops killed dozens of Hezbollah operatives in close-quarters battles and through airstrikes directed by ground forces.
Ynet reported that 15 Hezbollah fighters were killed in the Litani sector during three days of fighting, and that two Golani soldiers were lightly wounded by shrapnel.
During one clash, Hezbollah fighters emerged from a tunnel shaft north of the Litani and opened fire at close range. Several Israeli soldiers were wounded and an IDF Oketz canine was killed in the fighting, according to Israeli media reports.
The operation required troops to move through steep, dense terrain and cross the river in Namer armored personnel carriers. The Jerusalem Post reported that the IDF also used robots to scan parts of the area before troops advanced.
The military said the forces uncovered and destroyed a significant underground route used by Hezbollah. The tunnel compounds are said to have been built for prolonged stays and were intended to allow Hezbollah fighters to remain near the border ahead of a potential raid into northern Israel.
“During the attack, we captured selected targets where we exposed enemy infrastructure, launchers and underground routes,” Lt. Col. B., commander of the Golani Reconnaissance Unit, said in the IDF statement. “Golani Reconnaissance encountered terrorists in face-to-face battles and destroyed them. The fighters fought with bravery and courage.”
“The mission is to protect the residents of the north and enable security for the citizens of the State of Israel wherever we choose and in whatever way we choose,” he added.
The Jerusalem Post reported that senior IDF sources said first-person-view drones remain a major challenge for troops in Lebanon, with Hezbollah using manually controlled systems that can evade some jamming and detection technologies.
The IDF said the Golani Brigade is continuing operations in the area between the Litani and Israeli border communities as part of the broader effort to dismantle Hezbollah’s launch sites, tunnel networks and attack positions in southern Lebanon.
