IDF seizes more than 10,000 Hezbollah weapons in Southern Lebanon

Soldiers from the Israel Defense Forces’ 91st Division have confiscated more than 10,000 Hezbollah weapons in Southern Lebanon over the past few months, the IDF said on Sunday.

In addition, the division destroyed 1,000-plus sites belonging to the Iranian terror proxy, while the 98th Division dismantled more than 300 terrorist infrastructure sites.

Ground forces entered Southern Lebanon in early October after a year of incessant Hezbollah rocket, drone and missile attacks.

A ceasefire that went into effect on Nov. 27 halted the cross-border launches; however, but Israeli troops continue to be active in Southern Lebanon, gradually withdrawing over a two-month period as part of the agreement. Hezbollah must retreat north of the Litani River, about 20 miles north of the Israeli border, while the Lebanese Armed Forces deploy along the 75-mile Israel-Lebanon border, along with monitors from the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon.

The 91st Division’s activities “have deprived the enemy of many capabilities and means that were used for terrorist activities during the past year,” the IDF said.

“The division forces are operating in accordance with the understandings between Israel and Lebanon while maintaining the terms of the ceasefire,” the statement added.

The 91st Division has operated in 10 areas in Southern Lebanon, including on the rural front line and in Hezbollah terror compounds in the Litani and Saluki areas.

The United States chairs the ceasefire monitoring mechanism, which includes France. On Dec. 11, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) commander Gen. Michael Kurilla oversaw the first-phase withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Lebanon border and the handover to the Lebanese military.

Kurilla was at the monitoring headquarters in Beirut for the ceasefire and met with the commander of Lebanon’s armed forces, Gen. Joseph Aoun, according to CENTCOM. Later that day he arrived in Israel for a three-day visit to coordinate on regional security issues.

The IDF on Sunday also published footage of the 98th Division’s operations in recent months, including against military targets in the Khiam area, a town that the IDF said served as a central Hezbollah stronghold from which thousands of rockets were fired toward Israel.

The 98th Division includes the combat teams of the 7th, commando and paratroopers brigades. The operations in Southern Lebanon included Kfarkela, Al-Aadaissah, Rab El Thalthine, Markaba, Taybeh and Khiam.

Hezbollah launched some 16,000 rockets, missiles and drones at Israel during the war, causing deaths, injuries and massive material damage to the country’s north and displacing nearly 70,000 Israelis from their homes.

“Since the ceasefire agreement came into effect, the division’s troops have continued to operate in southern Lebanon, while adhering to the terms of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” the IDF said.

“The troops have been operating in order to prevent Hezbollah from regrouping, locate weapons and terrorist infrastructure, and remove threats to the State of Israel and its citizens. The soldiers are currently preparing for upcoming missions. Additional IDF troops are continuing to operate in the area.”