IDF strikes 30 Hezbollah rocket launchers following heavy fire; DM Gallant tells army to prepare for ground operation

Gallant visits IDF drill simulating ground op in Lebanese territory

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After a relatively quiet day, Tuesday evening saw fighting on Israel’s northern border escalate once again, as the IDF struck around 30 Hezbollah rocket launchers overnight following several large rocket barrages and drone attacks by the terror group.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited reservists of the Oded Brigade during a military drill simulating operations in Lebanese territory on Tuesday. He instructed them to prepare for a potential ground incursion, noting that the army’s focus was shifting in that direction.

“The center of gravity is moving to the north, we are nearing the completion of our missions in the south, but we have a task here that has not been carried out, and this mission is to change the security situation and return the residents to their homes,” he said.

“These instructions you are waiting for, I gave in the south and saw the forces at work,” Gallant said regarding the ongoing Israeli ground incursion in Gaza. He emphasized that such orders “will come here as well and you should be prepared and ready to carry out this mission.”

“We are finishing training the entire order of battle for a ground operation [in Lebanon], in all its aspects,” Gallant said.

Underlining the growing fear in Lebanon over a possible Israeli invasion, the Lebanese newspaper al-Akhbar, considered closely aligned with Hezbollah, cited sources claiming that the IDF had signaled plans to cut off southern Lebanon and the Hezbollah forces from their supply lines to the north and to Syria during a ground invasion.

According to these claims, the IDF would cut through southwestern Syria to penetrate deep into Lebanese territory aiming to disrupt Hezbollah’s supply routes to its stronghold in the Bekaa Valley, as well as to the east, where the terror group receives weapons and equipment via Iranian infrastructure in Syria.

The Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (ITIC) reported that just last week, Hezbollah was working on plans to transfer missiles and other weapons from the Bekaa Valley to southern Lebanon, and continued weapons transfers from Syria.

The terror group resumed its attacks on Israel on Tuesday evening, after a break that lasted most of the day. Early Tuesday afternoon, around 15 rockets were launched at the Western Galilee. Shortly after, another 30 rockets were fired at the area of Sasa and Meron.

Footage shows a Hezbollah drone flying over northern Israel a short while ago, as sirens sounded in several communities. pic.twitter.com/6jyKV6vNBc
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) September 10, 2024

The IDF said that within minutes, Israeli aircraft attacked the launchers in the areas of a-Tiri and al-Mansouri where the attacks originated from.

The rockets were partly intercepted and the rest landed in open areas without causing casualties or significant damage, the IDF stated.

Later in the evening, several drones infiltrated Israeli airspace in the Upper Galilee. According to Israeli media, at least one of the drones flew for a considerable time without being intercepted.

The IDF later confirmed that “falls were detected in the area near Amiad,” which lies close to the Sea of Galilee, over 18 km (11 miles) from the border.

Heavy Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon this evening. pic.twitter.com/pTrKguCGDr
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) September 11, 2024

In the evening, the IDF struck a weapons production site of Hezbollah in the Joya area of southern Lebanon, and attacked a military headquarters and military buildings in the areas of Nabatiyeh, al-Mansouri and Kafr Kila in response.

In addition, a terror squad was identified and struck in the area of Houla.

During the night, the IDF struck around 30 rocket launchers and other military infrastructure in four different regions, including al-Jabine, a-Nakoura, Deir Sirine and Zabkine.