The Israeli military announced on Tuesday that its troops had completed a multi-day operation in the Litani river region of southern Lebanon, where ongoing exchanges of fire with Hezbollah persist despite a ceasefire agreement.
Operation details
In a statement, the military said that over the past week, troops conducted a "special operation to clear terrorist infrastructure from the Litani area and establish operational control in the region." The operation took place south of the Israeli-declared "yellow line," which runs approximately 10 kilometers (six miles) north of the border, where Israeli forces remain stationed.
Israeli media reported that troops advanced beyond the Litani river and operated near the outskirts of the town of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah. When questioned by AFP, the Israeli military could not confirm whether troops had crossed the Litani, but released photos showing soldiers on a bridge over the river. Additional images depicted tanks and personnel operating along the riverbank.
Weapons and targets
The military stated that during the operation, troops located compounds used by Hezbollah fighters, underground tunnel routes containing large quantities of weapons, storage facilities, and missile launchers. They also reported striking over 100 targets and eliminating dozens of militants in close-quarters combat, supported by aerial assets.
Clashes between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group have continued in southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire that came into effect on April 17. Lebanon's health ministry said Tuesday that Israeli strikes have killed 380 people since the truce began. The Israeli military reported that five of its soldiers have been killed in southern Lebanon during the same period.
Background
Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the broader Middle East conflict on March 2 when it launched rockets at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran's supreme leader. Israel responded with airstrikes and a ground invasion.
In a separate statement on Tuesday, the Israeli military said it detected an "unsuccessful attempt to launch a surface-to-air missile toward an Israeli Air Force aircraft," which caused no damage or injuries. The military's Arabic-language spokesman, Avichay Adraee, issued new evacuation warnings for several villages in southern Lebanon.
