Tel Aviv [Israel], April 13 : The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has intensified its operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, expanding targeted ground actions in the Bint Jbeil area.
In a statement shared on Telegram on Monday, the IDF said troops from its 98th Division, including soldiers from the Paratroopers, Commando, and Givati Brigades, have surrounded Hezbollah military infrastructure and initiated focused ground operations to strengthen Israel's forward defence posture along the border.
According to the IDF, over the past week, its forces have carried out a series of operations targeting Hezbollah positions in the region and claimed that more than 100 Hezbollah operatives were killed through a combination of close-quarters combat and aerial strikes, while dozens of infrastructure sites were dismantled.
"Over the past week, troops from the 98th Division have surrounded Hezbollah military infrastructure and begun targeted ground operations in the Bint Jbeil area. The troops struck and eliminated more than 100 Hezbollah terrorist operatives, both in close-quarters combat and through aerial strikes, dismantled dozens of terrorist infrastructure sites, and located hundreds of weapons in the area," the statement read.
It also said that hundreds of weapons were recovered, including arms allegedly stored in and around civilian infrastructure.
As part of the ongoing operations, IDF troops reportedly uncovered and dismantled an underground tunnel used by Hezbollah for planning and carrying out attacks against Israeli forces. The military said the tunnel was neutralised following searches and operational inspections.
Reaffirming its stance, the IDF said it would continue operations against Hezbollah to protect Israeli civilians and prevent further attacks.
This come amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, with rising tensions along the Israel-Lebanon frontier and increasing concerns over potential escalation in the region.
Earlier, Hezbollah's Islamic Resistance claimed responsibility for carrying out 43 military operations against Israeli positions and troop concentrations on Sunday, saying the strikes were in response to alleged ceasefire violations and continued Israeli military activity in Lebanon, Iranian State Media Press TV reported.
According to Press TV, citing a statement from the militant group, the operations targeted Israeli military sites along the border as well as deeper inside occupied territories, including the occupied Syrian Golan Heights and northern Israel.
The attacks included a drone strike on a communications facility at the Al-Alika barracks in the Golan Heights, which it said resulted in a "direct hit".
The group also claimed a drone strike on an Israeli Merkava tank near a hospital in Mays al-Jabal in Lebanon.
The group further said it launched coordinated drone attacks on Israeli troop gatherings in areas including Al-Bayyada, Yaroun, and Kfar Yuval, along with rocket fire targeting Kiryat Shmona, Nahariya, and the headquarters of Israel's 146th Division, as reported by Press TV.