Israeli forces and Hezbollah operatives clashed on the Ali Taher ridge in southern Lebanon overnight, according to the military. The Israeli Air Force struck targets in the area during the engagement. More than 10 Hezbollah operatives were killed. Details on Israeli casualties or the exact timeline of the battle are not yet available.
Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters clashed on the strategic Ali Taher ridge in southern Lebanon overnight, with the military reporting that more than 10 Hezbollah operatives were killed and that the air force struck targets in the area during the engagement. The IDF confirmed the operation in a statement early Friday morning.
Reports of the operation had begun surfacing hours earlier. At 17:50 Jerusalem on Thursday, Lebanese media reported that Israeli forces were advancing toward the ridge with heavy armor and constant artillery; the IDF did not comment at the time. Minutes later, Shiite-affiliated channels reported that Hezbollah was firing rockets, anti-tank missiles, and drones at the advancing Israeli forces — reports that remained unverified until the IDF's Friday morning confirmation of the battle and the death toll. These initial reports cited Hezbollah-affiliated sources only; the IDF's own account has now established the scale of the engagement.
The Ali Taher ridge, which rises to about 697 meters and overlooks the Nabatieh district, was described by an analyst as a "serious matter" in a Hezbollah assessment published at 17:50 Jerusalem on Thursday. The IDF had also struck Hezbollah command posts in southern Lebanon earlier the same day (as The Zioneer reported at 20:24 Jerusalem). In recent weeks, the military has carried out dozens of strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure and operatives across the region.
No details have been released on any Israeli casualties, the duration of the battle, the identities of the operatives beyond the count of more than 10, or whether any Hezbollah fighters escaped the area.
6 developments
- StrongAnalyst warns renewed IDF push at Ali al-Taher ridge tonight amid strategic Hezbollah base
- StrongIDF clears Hezbollah tunnel network beneath Beaufort Ridge, advances near Nabatieh
- DevelopingIran pushing for ceasefire to stall IDF operations on Ali Taher ridge, per analyst
- StrongIDF within kilometers of Nabatieh, awaits political decision on offensive depth
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