The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) announced on Tuesday that it has deployed additional troops into southern Lebanon to establish a “forward defense posture” intended to remove threats to communities in northern Israel posed by Hezbollah.
In a post on X, the IDF said the reinforcement is part of ongoing efforts to create an added layer of security for residents of northern Israel by reducing Hezbollah’s ability to strike across the border.
According to The Jerusalem Post, units from the 36th Division have begun limited, targeted ground operations in Lebanon, working alongside the 91st Division as part of the broader push to consolidate a forward defence position following earlier deployments.
The Israeli Air Force also reported conducting extensive strikes against infrastructure it described as linked to the Iranian regime in Tehran and to Hezbollah in Beirut.
IDF International Spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani published images of what the military identified as a Hezbollah weapons storage facility in southern Lebanon, saying it contained dozens of rockets, explosive devices and firearms and that fighters at the site were eliminated. “This threat is on our border, striking distance from our civilians. This is why we’re operating in southern Lebanon,” he wrote on X.
The moves come amid heightened tensions across the region. The Times of Israel cited remarks by Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Qassem, who said his group was prepared for a “long confrontation” with Israel and framed the confrontation as an existential struggle for his organisation.
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz warned Lebanon’s government that it would be held accountable for failing to disarm Hezbollah, saying the state could suffer increasing infrastructure damage and territorial losses until it met its military commitments.
Military figures cited by The Times of Israel indicate the IDF has carried out more than 1,100 strikes in Lebanon, targeting command centers and rocket and missile launchers.
