The Israeli military announced Saturday that it is expanding its ground operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, alongside intensified artillery strikes in the area, according to Israeli military officials.
The escalation follows orders from IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir to intensify the campaign against Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, after intelligence detected increased militant movements toward the Israeli border in recent days.
Israeli officials say the artillery bombardment is intended to support expanded ground maneuvers targeting Hezbollah units operating in southern Lebanon. Additional Israeli ground forces have reportedly been deployed to the border region as part of the operation.
The military says it has reinforced its “pursuit and neutralization” strategy targeting Radwan Force operatives after intelligence identified hundreds of fighters moving toward southern Lebanon.
According to the IDF, around 400 Hezbollah operatives have been killed in recent months, including nearly 100 members of the Radwan Force, along with several field commanders.
Israeli officials also said the Radwan Force had previously prepared plans for cross-border infiltration operations into Israeli communities in the Galilee region before the launch of the ongoing campaign.
In the past 24 hours, tank transporters and Namer armored personnel carriers were seen moving toward the Israel–Lebanon border, indicating preparations for a potential large-scale ground operation.
In recent weeks, Israeli Military Intelligence has focused on locating and targeting Radwan Force fighters across southern Lebanon, with officials saying the intensified campaign was ordered directly by Israel’s military leadership to weaken Hezbollah’s elite unit.
At the strategic level, Israeli leadership continues to consider Iran the primary theater of confrontation, while operations in Lebanon are viewed as a secondary front, requiring careful allocation of military resources.
As part of these preparations, IDF Operations Directorate head Maj. Gen. Yitzhak Cohen ordered the reinforcement of the northern defensive line with two additional divisions, alongside the 210th Division and the Galilee Formation.
The Israeli military has also launched missions under the name “Fists of the Galilee,” involving infantry, armored, and engineering units supported by artillery, surveillance assets, and air force operations carrying out targeted incursions into southern Lebanon.
Since the start of Operation “Roar of the Lion,” Israel says it has carried out extensive strikes against Hezbollah command centers and infrastructure, damaging the group’s leadership capabilities, financial networks, and weapons stockpiles.
The IDF also states that Hezbollah operates military infrastructure within civilian areas, prompting Israeli forces to issue evacuation warnings in several locations before conducting strikes.
According to the Israeli military, precautionary measures before attacks include advance warnings, the use of precision-guided munitions, and aerial monitoring, aimed at reducing civilian casualties while continuing operations against Hezbollah targets.
