The Israeli military on Wednesday announced that its forces launched ground operations in parts of southern Lebanon, for the first time in months since a ceasefire agreement took hold between Israel and Hezbollah in November 2024.
The military said its “targeted operations” aimed to dismantle military infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah, without revealing details about when the operations took place.
In a statement, the Israeli army’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, said: “Following intelligence information and the identification of Hezbollah weapons and terrorist infrastructure in several areas of southern Lebanon, the soldiers launched special, targeted operations to dismantle them and prevent Hezbollah from reestablishing itself in the area.”
The statement added that the 9th Brigade operated in the Labbouneh area, near the border, targeting “a compound containing weapons depots and firing positions.”
Meanwhile, the 300th Brigade troops operated in the Jabal Blat area further west, where they struck “an underground structure used for storing weapons and weapons hidden in thicketed terrain, including a multi-barrel launcher, a heavy machine gun, and dozens of explosive devices.”
In November 2024, Hezbollah and Israel signed a ceasefire agreement, ending months of fighting between both sides. Under the ceasefire, brokered by the US and France, both sides had an initial 60-day halt in fighting, during which Hezbollah would end its armed presence in southern Lebanon while Israel would gradually withdraw its troops to the other side of the border.
However, Israel has stayed in five locations in Lebanon and has launched dozens of airstrikes and drone attacks on southern and eastern Lebanon, claiming it is targeting Hezbollah sites and operatives, as well as members of the Palestinian movement Hamas, according to AFP.
