The Israel Defense Forces said it killed three armed Hezbollah operatives carrying combat equipment in the southern Lebanon security zone on Wednesday, removing the threat to nearby troops, according to a military statement.
On Thursday morning, the IDF announced that its troops eliminated three armed Hezbollah operatives in the southern Lebanon security zone on Wednesday, stating the operatives were carrying combat equipment and posed a threat to nearby soldiers. The announcement consolidates details from a series of military statements on Wednesday evening, which first reported the strike near the village of Beit Yahoun.
The thread of reports began at 19:18 Jerusalem on Wednesday, when Israeli media (N13 / Army Radio) reported the elimination. Within minutes, the IDF confirmed the operation, identifying the operatives as Hezbollah members carrying combat equipment. Subsequent updates specified that the 869th Combat Intelligence Collection Unit spotted the three men inside the buffer zone, and the 401st Armored Brigade carried out the strike. The IDF later released video footage of the operation. By the end of the evening, the military had provided full unit details and the location.
The operation is part of ongoing IDF activity in the southern Lebanon buffer zone since the ceasefire. As The Zioneer has reported, the military has repeatedly struck Hezbollah cells and infrastructure in the area, including an elimination of operatives on motorcycles near al-Aqida on July 5 and at Ali al-Taher Ridge on June 25. The IDF has said it maintains a presence in the security zone to prevent threats to Israeli forces.
No open questions remain regarding this specific incident; the IDF provided a confirmed account with video evidence. The military continues to monitor the buffer zone for further threats.
6 developments
- DevelopingIDF kills several Hezbollah operatives in ambush in southern Lebanon
- DevelopingIDF eliminates several terrorists in combat in southern Lebanon
- DevelopingIDF says it struck 70+ Hezbollah sites, eliminated seven operatives from underground route
- ConfirmedIDF eliminates Hezbollah operatives approaching troops in southern Lebanon
Source and signal
- Internal intake