The Israeli army announced, in a statement, that it was continuing its military operations in the Bint Jbeil region, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the July 2006 war, considering that the town was a “stronghold” for Hezbollah.
The Israeli army said that the forces of the 98th and 91st Divisions surrounded the towns of Bint Jbeil and Ainata during Operation “The Lion’s Roar,” noting that the forces of the 98th Division entered Bint Jbeil and took operational control of it within a week, and carried out operations targeting what it described as Hezbollah’s “military infrastructure,” in addition to rocket and missile launch sites.
He added that the forces of the 98th Division completed their missions in the region and moved to other sectors, while the forces of the 91st Division took over the completion of operations to strengthen control, continue destroying the remaining infrastructure, and carry out combing operations in the region.
According to the statement, the Israeli army describes Bint Jbeil as a major center for Hezbollah, claiming that it witnessed the planning and implementation of hundreds of attacks against Israeli forces.
The Israeli army also claimed that the forces of the 91st and 98th Divisions destroyed more than 1,500 sites that they said belonged to Hezbollah, and killed more than 500 members, in addition to finding hundreds of weapons, military sites, launching pads, and weapons stores inside the area.
It was not possible to independently verify the numbers and allegations mentioned by the Israeli army in its statement, and there was no immediate comment from Hezbollah regarding these allegations.
These statements come at a time when the Lebanese-Israeli negotiations continue under American auspices, which focus on implementing field arrangements in southern Lebanon, including a gradual Israeli withdrawal and the deployment of the Lebanese army in the border areas.
