The Israeli army announced on Thursday that it had targeted a number of Hezbollah members inside what it describes as the “security zone” in southern Lebanon, after it said they posed a threat to its forces operating in the “forward defense zone.”
According to the Israeli army statement, the forces of the Golani Brigade Combat Team, led by the 36th Division, spotted five Hezbollah members in the eastern town of Zawtar, who it said posed a direct threat to the Israeli forces operating within the security zone.
In a separate incident, the statement said that forces of the Commando Brigade Combat Team, operating in the Ali al-Tahir Heights, spotted an armed Hezbollah element, who the Israeli army said in turn posed a threat to its forces in the area.
The Israeli army added that as soon as the members were spotted, the Air Force carried out a raid on the place, in conjunction with firing from field forces, which led to their martyrdom, according to what the Israeli statement announced.
The Israeli army confirmed that its forces continue to operate in the Ali al-Taher Heights area, indicating that it will not allow Hezbollah members to leave the underground infrastructure or move in the area.
The statement concluded by affirming that the Israeli army will continue to work to remove what it described as “immediate threats” and prevent Hezbollah from harming the citizens of Israel or its forces.
This announcement comes in light of the ongoing field escalation in southern Lebanon, coinciding with the faltering negotiating track related to the Israeli withdrawal and security arrangements in the border region. Zawtar al-Sharqiya and the Ali al-Tahir Heights stand out among the sites that witness frequent tension, at a time when Israel insists on keeping its forces within what it calls the “security zone,” while Lebanon affirms its rejection of any arrangements that affect its sovereignty or establish a new field reality within its territory.
