The IDF said Tuesday that ground forces have launched "forward defensive operations" in southern Lebanon and are holding multiple positions just across the border as part of a broader campaign to protect northern communities amid the war with Iran.
In a statement, the military said that 91st Division troops are operating in the area south of the Litani River as part of a concept of deepening forward defense — an effort to create an additional layer of security for residents of northern Israel. The military said it was also carrying out extensive strikes on infrastructure linked to the Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah “to thwart threats and prevent infiltration attempts” into Israeli territory.
“Hezbollah chose to enter the campaign on behalf of Iran and will bear the consequences of its actions. The IDF will not allow harm to the civilians of the State of Israel and will continue to act in every way to protect them,” the army statement said.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had authorized the military to advance and take control of additional strategic positions "prevent direct fire on Israeli communities.”
“The IDF continues to operate with force against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The terrorist organization is paying — and will continue to pay — a price for its fire toward Israel,” Katz said. “We promised security for the Galilee communities, and that is what we will deliver.”
Witnesses told Reuters that the Lebanese army had pulled out of at least seven forward operating positions along the border.
Meanwhile, the military said it killed Reza Hezai in Beirut on Monday, describing him as the official responsible for Hezbollah’s force buildup on behalf of Iran’s Quds Force and as chief of staff of the Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps.
According to the IDF, Hezai oversaw coordination between Hezbollah and Iran, serving as a key liaison responsible for aligning Hezbollah’s operational needs with Iranian resources. As part of his role, he helped establish weapons transfer routes from Iran to Lebanon and supported Hezbollah’s domestic weapons production programs inside Lebanon.
The escalation along Israel’s northern border comes amid a rapid expansion of the broader conflict sparked by Israeli-U.S. airstrikes on Iran last weekend that killed Iran’s supreme leader and other senior commanders.
In retaliation, Iran has launched missiles and drones at Israel, and Hezbollah has fired rockets and unmanned aerial vehicles toward northern Israeli cities — its first such attacks in more than a year and a half. Israeli forces have responded with strikes across Lebanon, including in the southern suburbs of Beirut, targeting senior Hezbollah operatives and facilities.
The violence has drawn in multiple fronts, with U.S. and Israeli forces also striking Iranian targets in and around Tehran, and Iranian drones attacking U.S. interests in the Gulf. Markets have reacted to disruptions near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil chokepoint, amid heightened concerns over energy supplies.
Lebanese authorities have struggled to control the situation, with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemning Hezbollah’s use of Lebanese territory to launch attacks and warning against dragging the country into a broader war.