The Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization launched a salvo of rockets toward Israel Defense Forces soldiers stationed in Southern Lebanon on Wednesday morning.
The projectiles impacted adjacent to troops engaged in military operations south of the ceasefire line, the IDF said in a statement. No injuries were reported.
On Wednesday, the Israeli Air Force struck more than 15 Hezbollah sites in Lebanon, including rocket launchers aimed at Israeli territory, the statement continued.
Other sites targeted in the airstrikes were weapons storage facilities and production facilities, terrorist headquarters and additional “structures used for military purposes.”
“Hezbollah terrorists operated from the structures that were struck in order to advance terror attacks against IDF soldiers and the State of Israel,” the statement added.
“The IDF will continue to operate against threats directed at Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers, in accordance with directives from the political echelon,” it said.
Since Hezbollah joined the war on Tehran’s behalf some two months ago, the IDF has killed 2,000 of its terrorist operatives, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said on Wednesday.
“We will seize every opportunity to deepen the dismantling of Hezbollah and continue weakening it,” the military chief said during a visit to Lebanon. “We will not step back until security is ensured and a long-term solution is secured for the communities of northern Israel.”
In recent weeks, more than 220 Hezbollah terrorists and commanders who posed a threat have been eliminated by the IDF, including 85 in the past week alone, the army said in a separate statement on Thursday.
Several senior operatives were killed, including Muhammad Ali Bazi, who headed the intelligence arm of Hezbollah’s Nasser Unit, and Hussein Hassan Romani, responsible for aerial defense observation, it said.
“These key terrorists operated to advance and carry out terror attacks against IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians,” the army said.
Over the past week, Israeli airstrikes were said to have targeted 180-plus Hezbollah sites, including command centers, arms storage facilities and “loaded and ready-to-use launchers.”
The IDF struck Beirut on Wednesday night for the first time in nearly a month, targeting the commander of the terrorist group’s elite Radwan Force.
The attack in Beirut’s southern suburbs—a Hezbollah stronghold—was the first IDF strike in the capital since April 8.
Hezbollah began firing rockets and drones at Israel on March 2, following the targeted killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the opening strikes of Israel’s “Operation Roaring Lion” on Feb. 28.
In response to the terrorist organization’s violation of the U.S.-brokered Nov. 27, 2024, truce agreement, Jerusalem launched an aerial campaign against Hezbollah and ordered the IDF to advance and take control of additional areas in Southern Lebanon to halt cross-border attacks.
Jerusalem and Beirut agreed on April 16 to a 10-day ceasefire following mediation by U.S. President Donald Trump. The two countries agreed on April 23 to extend the truce for three more weeks following direct talks in Washington, D.C.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week accused Hezbollah of “essentially disintegrating” the temporary ceasefire through its ongoing attacks.
“Therefore, as far as we are concerned, what obligates us is the security of Israel, the security of our soldiers, and the security of our communities. We are acting vigorously according to the rules we agreed upon with the United States, and incidentally, with Lebanon as well,” the premier said.
