IDF leaves Bin Jbeil area

VIDEO - IDF forces completed Saturday one of their most important missions in the framework of the operation in Lebanon, and during the morning hours most of the units who took part in Bint Jbeil began to withdraw from the area. IDF paratroopers and IAF aircraft killed 26 Hizbullah gunmen during an overnight battle in Bint Jbeil. IDF officials said more than 200 Hizbullah members have been killed so far, among them about 40 top-level commanders and officials. The army is planning to draft reserve units as planned ahead of possibly larger operations in the near future. Armor and Engineering Corps forces, and a few infantry units, still remain in the Bint Jbeil region, but the Golani and Paratroopers units have all retreated after completing their mission. A military official said that some 50 Hizbullah members were killed in Bint Jbeil and dozens more were wounded. According to the official, 26 of the Hizbullah members killed belonged to a special force set up by the terror organization to engage IDF soldiers in the area. The IDF is now making preparations for additional raids on other south Lebanon towns. According to the senior IDF officer in addition to the activity on the ground a special IDF force carried out two separate operations during which soldiers infiltrated a Hizbullah command post and returned with maps, two-way radios and additional equipment. 'Hassan continues to destroy Lebanon' The officer stopped short of estimating the overall damage done to Hizbullah’s rocket-firing capabilities, but did say the organization’s medium-range rocket arsenal was definitely reduced. On Friday Hizbullah fired for the first time Fajr-5 rockets and Syrian 220-302 millimeter rockets toward Afula. “Hizbullah has not surrendered yet,” the senior officer said, “but it has been hurt economically, logistically and with regards to the number of members killed and the group’s status in Beirut, especially in the Dahiya quarter. The officer said that ‘Hizbullah’s attempt to get Amal and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestinian involved in the fighting Hs partially succeeded,” adding that the transfer of arms from Syria to Lebanon is continuing. According to the officer, the fact that Hizbullah is firing rockets mainly from the area between the Litani and Zahrani rivers is a sign of distress. Meanwhile, the IDF is continuing with its psychological warfare in Lebanon leaflets reading “Hassan (Nasrallah) ignited the fire like a child playing with matches but found out that the IDF’s fire is much stronger than he had anticipated” were scattered throughout the country. “Hassan continues to destroy Lebanon will he understand that he was wrong and end your suffering?” the leaflets say. IDF sources said some 45 targets in Lebanon were attacked since early Saturday, including dozens of Hizbullah weapons caches and vehicles that were transporting arms a rocket launcher was also struck.

IDF leaves Bin Jbeil area

(VIDEO) Most ground forces withdraw following successful overnight battle in which 26 Hizbullah members were killed by paratroopers, IAF in south Lebanon town; IDF preparing for additional raids in region