Israel Reports 'Dramatic' Damage to Hezbollah in the North
The IDF reports over 1,200 Hezbollah ceasefire violations and confirms crippling retaliatory strikes that have decimated the group’s elite units, launch capabilities, and southern Lebanon infrastructure. Hezbollah’s Radwan Force has shrunk by more than half, with thousands of operatives killed or wounded as Israel vows to prevent the group’s resurgence.
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Israel’s Northern Command has reported 1,263 violations of the November 2024 ceasefire agreement by Hezbollah, with 597 targets struck immediately by the Israeli Air Force, according to journalist Itai Blumental. The strikes, which included launchers, weapons depots, operative eliminations, and three attacks in Beirut’s Dahiyeh district, have significantly weakened the Shiite terror group. An additional 666 violations were reported to a U.S.-led mechanism, with 456 handled by the Lebanese Army, 71% in southern Lebanon and 29% in the north. Israel struck the remaining 210 targets after a pre-set deadline.
The IDF claims Hezbollah’s fire capabilities, defensive positions in Shiite border villages, weapons production, and command structure have been “dramatically” hit. The group’s elite Radwan Force, once poised for raids into Israel, has been reduced from 6,000 to 2,000–2,500 operatives, with no infrastructure near Israeli communities. Hezbollah’s rocket arsenal, previously capable of launching 1,200–1,500 rockets daily, is now limited to dozens, with over 70% of short-range launchers and most strategic weapons destroyed. However, thousands of rockets, including long-range ones targeting Gush Dan and Jerusalem, remain.
Before the campaign, Hezbollah boasted 25,000 operatives; over 4,000 have been killed and 9,000 injured, sidelining a third of its force. The group is now rebuilding in the “Badr” sector north of the Litani River, with operatives reportedly demoralized and “paranoid” after losses. IDF Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin called the security situation “very good,” stating, “The threats are distant, and we haven’t been in such a secure state for decades.” However, he criticized past inaction, admitting Israel allowed a “monster” to grow on its border.
Hezbollah’s efforts to restore infrastructure and smuggle weapons signal preparations for renewed conflict, with the IDF vowing to strike any resurgence. The report comes amid heightened regional tensions, following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack and ongoing Gaza war, which has fueled global protests and antisemitic rhetoric, as seen in recent incidents in Kansas and New York.