Gallant: Hezbollah is 'feeling persecuted'

IDF hits more than 100 loaded Hezbollah launchers in series of major Lebanon strikes

After strikes, army tells residents of several northern communities to stay near bomb shelters; Metula mayor reports ‘tremendous damage’ after rockets hit buildings, spark fires

By Emanuel Fabian,
Agencies and ToI Staff 20 September 2024, 12:02 amUpdated at 12:38 pm Edit
Smoke and fire rise from the site of an alleged Israeli strike on the southern Lebanese border village of Mahmoudiyeh on September 19, 2024. (Rabih Daher/AFP)
Smoke and fire rise from the site of an alleged Israeli strike on the southern Lebanese border village of Mahmoudiyeh on September 19, 2024. (Rabih Daher/AFP)

Israel carried out dozens of strikes on Thursday across southern Lebanon, in what Lebanese security sources said were some of the most intense bombings since Hezbollah began daily cross-border attacks on northern communities after the start of the Gaza war on October 7.

The military said fighter jets had struck over 100 Hezbollah rocket launchers in southern Lebanon that were primed for immediate attacks on Israel. It said that in total, the launchers included around 1,000 launch barrels.

Several buildings and a weapons depot belonging to Hezbollah were also struck in several areas of southern Lebanon, according to the military.

The strikes began in the afternoon and were carried out in several waves.

“The IDF continues to damage and degrade the terror capabilities and military infrastructure of the Hezbollah terror organization,” the military added.

Following the strikes, the IDF published a list of guidelines for civilians in several communities and cities in northern Israel, telling them to remain close to bomb shelters.

The guidelines applied to civilians in the Merom HaGalil Regional Council, Upper Galilee Regional Council, Mevo’ot HaHermon Regional Council, Yesud HaMa’ala, Hatzor, Rosh Pina, Safed, Metula, and towns in the Golan Heights from Katzrin and northward.

The IDF called on civilians in those areas to reduce movement outside of homes, avoid large gatherings, guard the entrances to the communities and remain close to bomb shelters, with the guidelines in place until further notice.

However, the guidelines were removed Friday morning.

The major airstrikes came after a heavy barrage of rockets from Lebanon on northern communities, and as the Israeli defense establishment put preparations for a possible all-out war with Hezbollah into full gear.

Eli Bin, head of the Magen David Adom rescue service, told the Ynet news site that he had received reports that an MDA station in Metula suffered a direct hit. There were no injuries reported, he said.

David Azoulay, the mayor of Metula, released a statement reporting “tremendous damage” from rockets that struck a number of homes and sparked fires.

“I haven’t seen anything like it since the start of the war,” he said.

Earlier on Thursday, two IDF soldiers, Maj. (res.) Nael Fwarsy, 43, a logistics company commander from Maghar, and Sgt. Tomer Keren, 20, of the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion, from Haifa, were killed in Hezbollah missile and drone attacks on northern Israel. Nine soldiers were also wounded in the attacks.

Also Thursday, as Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah delivered a televised address, vowing revenge on Israel for this week’s deadly wave of explosions of portable devices belonging to the terror group’s operatives in Lebanon and Syria, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant held a situational assessment on what he called “a new phase in the war.”

Gallant said that the IDF would continue strikes in Lebanon in order to fulfill the newly officialized war goal of returning displaced northern residents to their homes.

“Hezbollah is feeling persecuted,” he said in a video statement. “There are significant opportunities, but also heavy risks.”

“The sequence of our military operations will continue,” Gallant said during a meeting with the IDF’s top brass and other defense officials.

“Our goal is to return the residents of the north to their homes safely. As time goes by, Hezbollah will pay an increasing price,” he said.

“At the same time, we will continue and carry out the effort to return the hostages and dismantle Hamas,” Gallant added.

The major airstrikes in Lebanon came as Israeli military officials were set to present the political echelon, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with various plans for the northern front during a meeting on Thursday evening, amid the heightened tensions.

IDF sources said the military was seeking to return displaced Israelis to their homes without causing the conflict with Hezbollah to expand to a regional multi-front war.

The IDF has been on heightened alert following the recent events in Lebanon, and expects that the coming days may also be intense.

Israel has not taken responsibility for the communication device attacks in Lebanon in the past two days that killed dozens of people, the vast majority of them terror operatives, and injured thousands.

In the past few days, the IDF has been holding continuous assessments, and presenting plans to the political echelon. Earlier on Thursday evening, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi approved new battle plans.

Also Thursday, the IDF announced that on Monday it foiled an attempted bombing attack against troops on the Lebanon border.

The military released footage from a GoPro camera found on the body of one of the gunmen.

According to the military, troops of the Golani Brigade and other commandos were stationed in an ambush near the so-called Tziporen Post in Upper Galilee.

On Monday, surveillance soldiers of the 869th Combat Intelligence Collection Unit spotted two suspects approaching the border, and the Golani soldiers and commandos opened fire and directed artillery shelling and a drone strike against the gunmen, killing both.

According to the IDF, the gunmen planned to plant a bomb in the area.

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