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The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Thursday that it had started striking Hezbollah military targets in southern Lebanon.
The IDF said it struck terrorist infrastructure and several weapon storage facilities that belonged to Hezbollah’s Radwan Force on Thursday. The military also alleged that the Radwan Force was working to “reestablish terrorist infrastructure” that was “intended to harm the State of Israel.”
“The weapons storage facilities were constructed in the center of civilian-populated areas. This is yet another example of the Hezbollah terrorist organization’s strategy to cynically and brutally exploit Lebanese civilians as human shields as it operates out of civilian areas,” the IDF said in a press release.
An unmanned aircraft reportedly struck a Hezbollah construction unit’s facility near Tyre, a coastal city in southern Lebanon, Israeli news outlet Ynet reported, citing the IDF. Ynet also noted that the IDF claimed the facility was used to produce equipment for restoring terror infrastructure that Israel destroyed in previous operations.
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In preparation for the strikes, the IDF urged residents of al-Taybeh and Tayr Debba to flee. Israel included maps marking areas that would become dangerous for civilians once the strikes began.
“You are located near buildings used by Hezbollah, and, for your safety, you are required to evacuate them immediately and stay away from them by a distance of at least 500 meters,” the IDF said in an announcement to the residents of the villages.
The announcement comes after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said, “Hezbollah is playing with fire, and the president of Lebanon is dragging his feet.”
“The Lebanese government’s commitment to dismantle Hezbollah’s weapons and remove it from southern Lebanon must be realized. Enforcement will continue and deepen — we will not allow a threat to the residents of the north,” Katz added.
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The IDF claimed that it had killed “approximately 20 Hezbollah terrorists whose activities violated the understandings between Israel and Lebanon.”
On Wednesday, the IDF said it killed Hussein Jaber Dib, a member of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force. Israel alleged that Dib had “advanced terror attacks against Israel and its citizens.”
Additionally, on Monday, the IDF confirmed it had killed two Hezbollah commanders in southern Lebanon. Muhammad Ali Hadid, a senior member of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, was eliminated in Nabatieh, while another operative was struck in Ayta ash Shab after being seen collecting intelligence on Israeli positions, according to the Israeli military.
A senior IDF officer stationed on the northern border told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview that Hezbollah remains fully armed and funded by Iran.
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“Hezbollah didn’t give up their heavy weapons,” the officer said. “They’re still trained, still financed by Iran, and still trying to re-establish their positions. Our job is to make sure they don’t succeed.”
Over the summer, Israel took an unprecedented step and launched sweeping strikes against Iran, which it dubbed “Operation Rising Lion.” The 12-day war with Iran eventually involved the U.S., which was able to destroy the regime’s Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities.
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