The Israeli Air Force targeted and killed two Hezbollah terrorists in the area of Chebaa (aka Shebaa) in southeastern Lebanon on Saturday.
The two belonged to the Lebanese Resistance Brigades, which operate under the direction of the Hezbollah terrorist group, the IDF said.
They were involved in smuggling weapons used by Hezbollah, and their activities constituted a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon, the military added.
“The IDF will continue to operate in order to remove any threat posed to the State of Israel,” the army said.
In a statement issued a few hours later, the IDF said it had slain another Hezbollah terrorist in southeastern Lebanon on Saturday, in the Baraashitar area.
“The terrorist was involved in attempts to rehabilitate Hezbollah military infrastructure in the area,” the military said.
The IDF has ramped up its operations in Lebanon over the past week, with reports in Hebrew media saying that another round of fighting could soon break out due to Hezbollah’s efforts to rebuild its terrorist capabilities.
On Thursday, the Israeli Air Force carried out an hours-long wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian-backed group across Southern Lebanon.
“The IDF, led by Northern Command and carried out with the Air Force, struck terror infrastructure and several weapons storage facilities of the Radwan Force unit in Southern Lebanon,” according to a statement.
Hezbollah “continues efforts to rehabilitate terrorist infrastructure in Southern Lebanon and is concentrating on rebuilding the unit’s capabilities with the aim of harming the State of Israel,” it said.
In light of the increased tension with Lebanon, senior Israeli officials told Channel 12 News on Thursday that battle plans were already drawn up, with the goal of further weakening Hezbollah and bringing about a stronger truce agreement with the Lebanese government.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has rejected demands to disarm in accordance with the truce, warning in July that the terrorist group was “rebuilding, recovering and ready now” to take on the IDF.