Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Monday that the IDF has launched a ground maneuver in southern Lebanon after weeks of rocket and drone attacks by Hezbollah.
Speaking after a security assessment with senior defense officials, Katz said the military operation aims to disrupt Hezbollah fire and protect Israeli communities along the northern border.
91st Division troops begin targeted ground operations in southern Lebanon
(Video: IDF)
Hezbollah terrorist cell eliminated in an airstrike in southern Lebanon
(Video: IDF)
“The IDF has begun a ground maneuver in Lebanon to remove threats and defend the residents of the Galilee and northern Israel,” Katz said.
“More than 1 million Shiites from southern Lebanon who have evacuated or are evacuating their homes will not return until the security of northern residents is guaranteed.”
Hezbollah draws much of its support from Lebanon’s Shiite south, so any prolonged displacement there would hit the group’s own political and social base hardest, potentially eroding its image as the protector of southern Lebanon and recasting it as the force keeping its core constituency from returning home.
Earlier Monday, the IDF described the operation as “limited ground activity,” but Katz later clarified that the military had begun a broader maneuver.
The IDF said it has begun limited and targeted ground operations in southern Lebanon aimed at weakening Hezbollah positions and strengthening defenses for communities in northern Israel.
Troops from the 91st Division entered several areas in southern Lebanon as part of efforts to expand what the military described as a forward defensive zone along the border.
According to the IDF, forces have advanced roughly 7 to 9 kilometers, about 4 to 5.5 miles, into what it calls a “security area.”
Clashes with Hezbollah terrorists
The most significant phase of the operation began on Saturday, when Israeli forces moved deeper into southern Lebanon, accompanied by heavy fire support and artillery cover intended to prepare the area ahead of the ground advance.
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Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir
(Photo: Elad Malka, Defense Minister)
During the operation, troops encountered Hezbollah terrorists, killing two and damaging terror infrastructure, the military said.
Israeli forces also discovered a weapons stockpile containing dozens of rockets, explosive devices and other weapons.
According to the IDF, the activity targets key Hezbollah strongholds as part of efforts to dismantle terror infrastructure and remove threats to residents of northern Israel.
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Artillery Corps operating along the Lebanon–northern border
(Photo: Odd Andersen/AFP)
Before troops entered the area, artillery units and the Israeli Air Force struck numerous terror targets to reduce threats in the operational environment.
Meanwhile, the military said Israeli forces continue defensive missions along the border to protect communities in the Galilee. “The IDF will continue to operate with determination against the Hezbollah terror organization, which chose to join the hostilities and operate under the sponsorship of the Iranian terror regime,” the military said in a statement. “The IDF will not allow harm to Israeli civilians.”
Fighting may continue for months
A senior officer in the IDF’s Northern Command recently estimated that fighting in Lebanon could continue until the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which falls in late May.
The officer said Israel aims to use the ongoing war with Iran to deliver a major blow to Hezbollah and significantly weaken the organization’s military capabilities.
The defense establishment is also preparing for the possible mobilization of up to 450,000 reserve soldiers.
In parallel, the Defense Ministry is preparing to establish 13 additional military outposts inside Lebanese territory, alongside five existing positions, with the goal of pushing back anti-tank missile threats and preventing ground raids by Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force into Israeli communities near the border.