The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have intensified their campaign in southern Lebanon, aiming to degrade Hezbollah’s military capabilities and infrastructure. The operation comes in response to sustained rocket and drone attacks launched by Hezbollah into northern Israel since October 2023, which forced thousands of Israeli civilians to evacuate. The stated goal of the campaign is to halt the attacks and enable displaced residents to safely return to their homes.
The IDF has achieved significant tactical and operational gains, including seizing key strategic positions north of the Israel-Lebanon border. These efforts are designed to diminish Hezbollah’s capacity to launch attacks.
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Despite these advances, Hezbollah has continued its steady barrage of rocket and drone strikes into Israel, indicating the group’s resilience. The campaign appears to aim at weakening Hezbollah’s resolve to continue its assaults rather than seeking to completely eliminate its capability to carry out such attacks.
Israel launched a series of air and clandestine operations in September 2024 to disrupt Hezbollah’s leadership and communication networks. The campaign began with the detonation of thousands of pagers and personal radios used by Hezbollah members, effectively crippling their internal communications.
This was followed by targeted airstrikes against key Hezbollah leaders and command centers, temporarily paralyzing the group’s operational capabilities. These initial operations were critical in setting the stage for the IDF’s ground offensive.
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On October 1, the IDF launched its ground offensive into southern Lebanon, focusing on capturing strategic terrain and dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure near the border.
These efforts are aimed at preventing Hezbollah from using the area to launch rocket attacks or to plan large-scale ground incursions, such as the October 7 attack into Israel.
Hezbollah has struggled to mount an organized defense against the IDF’s operations, likely due to the disruption of its command-and-control networks.
The IDF’s ground operations have significantly degraded Hezbollah’s offensive infrastructure and limited its ability to conduct large-scale coordinated attacks. However, the group retains the capacity for sporadic and smaller-scale assaults.
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While senior Israeli officials have expressed intentions to push Hezbollah forces north of the Litani River, IDF ground operations have so far been limited in scope. These ongoing efforts underscore Israel’s strategic focus on securing its northern border and preventing future threats from Hezbollah.
The campaign highlights Israel’s dual approach of leveraging air and ground operations to weaken Hezbollah and reduce its capacity to threaten Israeli territory, while seeking to deter future aggression through sustained military pressure.
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