Israeli forces conducting offensive operations in southern Lebanon | Global News

Israeli forces have intensified their “offensive action” in southern Lebanon, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced on Wednesday. While it was not specified whether ground troops had crossed the border, Gallant stated that numerous forces were deployed along the border, with IDF (army) forces conducting offensive operations throughout southern Lebanon.

Gallant also claimed that “half of Hezbollah’s commanders in southern Lebanon have been eliminated” in months of violence, with the other half in hiding and retreating from IDF operations. The army reported striking 40 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, including storage facilities and weaponry near Aita al-Shaab.

Lebanon’s National News Agency reported more than 13 Israeli strikes near Aita al-Shaab and surrounding villages. This escalation follows Hezbollah’s firing of rockets across the border in response to a strike blamed on Israel that resulted in the deaths of two civilians.

Cross-border exchanges of fire have intensified between the Israeli army and Iran-backed Hezbollah since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, which triggered conflict in Gaza. The violence has resulted in at least 380 deaths in Lebanon, primarily Hezbollah fighters and 72 civilians, while Israel has reported 11 soldiers and eight civilians killed on its side of the border.

The situation remains tense as both sides continue to engage in military actions, raising concerns about further escalation and civilian casualties in the region.