Two IDF soldiers lightly wounded in Lebanon clash, Hezbollah operative killed

Two Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers were lightly wounded Thursday during a close-quarters engagement in southern Lebanon, during which Israeli troops killed a Hezbollah terrorist, the IDF said.

IDF Operation in Southern Lebanon

The engagement occurred during a “targeted ground operation” conducted by the 162nd Division to strengthen the military’s forward position in the country, according to the IDF.

Soldiers operating in the area also located “numerous weapons, including rifles, vests, grenades, and additional weapons,” the IDF reported.

Lebanese Prime Minister on Conflict

Meanwhile, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stated Thursday that there was no foreseeable end to the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.

Defense Minister’s Warning

Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem that he would not live to see the full extent of the “very heavy price” the group would pay for its earlier attacks on Israel during Passover, stating he would be “at the bottom of hell” alongside slain members of Iran and its proxy network.

Katz’s comments followed a Thursday situational assessment with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and other top military officials at “the pit,” the IDF’s command center beneath the Kiyra military compound.

Earlier Thursday, military sources said the IDF had begun demolishing homes in southern Lebanese villages located along the border with Israel. The houses targeted were reportedly used by Hezbollah as bases to launch anti-tank fire and conduct reconnaissance of Israeli forces.

The demolitions are being carried out in accordance with orders issued by Defense Minister Katz, who last week instructed the IDF to begin destroying homes and bridges south of the Litani River. Katz stated the actions were modeled after similar operations in Beit Hanun and Rafah in Gaza, and that residents of southern Lebanon would be allowed to evacuate northward.

IDF Captures Hezbollah Fighters, Reports Low Morale

Earlier, IDF divisions continued their ground incursion into southern Lebanon overnight on Wednesday, maneuvering deeper into Lebanese territory, security sources said. Several Hezbollah fighters were reportedly detained as prisoners of war after surrendering to Israeli forces in the past 24 hours and transferred for interrogation.

IDF sources observed “low morale” among the captured terrorists, many of whom were reportedly from Beirut. Other fighters reportedly fled north of the Litani River, employing guerrilla warfare tactics and using demolished homes as hiding places.

Defense sources last week told The Jerusalem Post that Israel plans to maintain “effective control” of southern Lebanon even after the current war ends, assuming Hezbollah does not disarm.

IDF Strikes and Casualties

Later Thursday, the IDF said it had killed over 40 Hezbollah terrorists and struck dozens of terror infrastructure sites through air, naval, and ground operations in Lebanon. The Israeli Air Force struck headquarters, weapons storage facilities, launch sites, and anti-tank missile positions. The Israeli Navy also conducted a precise strike targeting a Hezbollah weapons storage facility in southern Lebanon.

Ground operations included an offensive from the 91st Division, which killed a Hezbollah terrorist cell. Soldiers from the 36th Division engaged and killed three Hezbollah terrorists on motorcycles, while the 146th Division dismantled over 180 terror infrastructure sites. The 162nd Division also located numerous weapons.