The Israeli army announced that it is in the final phase of seizing Bint Jbeil, one of Hezbollah's main strongholds in southern Lebanon, in an operation that marks a significant step forward in its effort to neutralize the threat of the Iranian-backed group.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), more than 100 Hezbollah fighters have been killed during intense clashes in the area, both in hand-to-hand combat and through air strikes.
The offensive, led by the 98th Division—including paratrooper brigades, commandos and the Givati brigade—managed to completely encircle the city in recent weeks, preventing reinforcements from arriving and blocking escape routes.
Israeli Army Forces in South Lebanon
Bint Jbeil has a strong symbolic value for Hezbollah. There, in 2000, its then leader Hassan Nasrallah proclaimed the Israeli withdrawal as a victory, describing Israel as “weaker than
a cobweb”.
Today, that narrative seems to be reversed: Israeli troops have taken over the stadium where that speech was delivered and are moving forward in the systematic destruction of terrorist infrastructure.
According to military sources, before the start of the operation, at least 150 Hezbollah operatives were estimated to be present in the area, including members of its elite Radwan force. Most have been eliminated or dispersed, while dozens of facilities used for military purposes have been destroyed and hundreds of
weapons seized.
The IDF also reported that, since the start of the offensive, no rocket launches have been detected from Bint Jbeil into Israeli territory, suggesting a significant reduction in the group's operational capacity in the area.
However, the troops have faced sporadic attacks, including rocket fire and light weapons, which have left several soldiers injured.
Meanwhile, at the diplomatic level, representatives of Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold talks in Washington in the coming days. Israel has made it clear that it will continue its operations against Hezbollah, considering that the group violated the previous ceasefire and continues to pose a direct threat
