Military ‘very focused’ on fighting Hezbollah, prepping offensive, IDF chief says
Air Force says it struck over 15 launchers aimed at Israel, some of which detonated rockets that landed in Lebanese territory; Yiftah Brigade finishes exercise for war in north
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The Israel Defense Forces are “very focused” on fighting Hezbollah and preparing offensive actions in Lebanon against the Iran-backed terror group, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said Friday during a tour of the Golan Heights.
“The IDF is very focused on fighting Hezbollah. I think that the number of attacks in the last month, operatives killed, rockets destroyed, infrastructure destroyed, is very large,” Halevi said.
“The Northern Command, with all the IDF’s capabilities, is attacking many of Hezbollah’s capabilities inside Lebanon before they attack us, and at the same time we are also preparing offensive moves in the territory [of Lebanon],” he added.
On Friday evening, Lebanese media reported a series of Israeli strikes near the towns of Kafr Sir and Froun in the Nabatieh Governate of southern Lebanon, with videos showing smoke and fire rising from a targeted site.
The IDF larter confirmed carrying out strikes and said that more than 15 rocket launchers and sites belonging to Hezbollah were targeted, publishing footage of them and adding that some of the launchers were primed for rocket attacks on Israel.
According to the IDF, rockets were seen flying out of some of the targeted launchers immediately following the strikes and landing in Lebanese territory.
מטוסי קרב, בהכוונת פיקוד הצפון, תקפו בשעה האחרונה יותר מ-15 משגרים ותשתיות צבאיות של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה בדרום לבנון.
לאחר תקיפת המשגרים, אשר חלקם היו מוכנים לשיגור מיידי לשטח הארץ, זוהו שיגורים שיצאו מהמשגרים ונפלו בשטח לבנון. pic.twitter.com/DHMTUWq6ne
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) September 6, 2024
Also Friday evening, the IDF said an interceptor missile was launched at a “suspicious aerial target” over the northern border community of Ghajar causing sirens to sound. The target was later determined to have been a “false identification.”
Earlier Friday, Israeli fighter jets struck several buildings used by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon’s Aitaroun as well as in Beit Lif, the IDF said.
مشاهد أخرى للغارات الإسرائيلية التي استهدفت الأودية المُقابلة لبلدتي كفرصير وفرون في جنوب لبنان pic.twitter.com/Ux92mLjDxU
— هنا لبنان (@thisislebnews) September 6, 2024
Meanwhile, several drones launched from Lebanon in an attack claimed by Hezbollah impacted near the northern community of Abirim, sparking a fire, the IDF said. Another rocket fired from Lebanon fit the Manara area. According to the IDF, there were no injuries in either of these strikes.
מטוסי קרב תקפו בשעות האחרונות מבנים צבאיים של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה במרחב עיתרון שבדרום לבנון.
בנוסף, הותקפה מהאוויר תשתית צבאית של הארגון במרחב בית ליף.כמו כן, כוחות צה"ל תקפו בארטילריה במרחבים שובא וכפר חמאם שבדרום לבנון>> pic.twitter.com/ByuFb2N0yH
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) September 6, 2024
The IDF said a Hezbollah weapons depot in southern Lebanon’s Blida was struck by Israeli aircraft overnight, as were buildings used by the terror group in Ayta ash-Shab and Yarine.
Reserve brigade drill
Reservists of the IDF’s Yiftah Brigade carried out a drill over the past week simulating fighting in Lebanon, which the military said is part of its efforts to increase readiness amid heightened tensions on the northern border.
The drill included fighting and maneuvering in complex terrain, advancing along a “mountainous route,” and using firepower in various scenarios, the IDF said, adding that members of the reserve infantry brigade also practiced extracting wounded troops under fire and cooperating with the combat support headquarters.
The drill was the latest in a series carried out by the IDF for a potential war in Lebanon.
Israel has warned for months it can no longer tolerate Hezbollah’s presence along its border following the October 7 Hamas atrocities and has said that should a diplomatic solution not be reached, it will turn to military action to push Hezbollah northward.
Since October 8, Hezbollah-led forces have attacked Israeli communities and military posts along the border on a near-daily basis, with the group saying it is doing so to support Gaza amid the war there.
So far, the skirmishes have resulted in 26 civilian deaths on the Israeli side, as well as the deaths of 20 IDF soldiers and reservists. There have also been several attacks from Syria, without any injuries.
Hezbollah has named 433 members who have been killed by Israel during the ongoing skirmishes, mostly in Lebanon but some also in Syria. Another 76 operatives from other terror groups, a Lebanese soldier, and dozens of civilians have also been killed.
