According to the Jerusalem Post, Israel’s elite Division 98 is spearheading military operations that began last night inside Lebanon, aiming to dismantle Hezbollah’s military infrastructure in several villages near the Lebanon-Israel border.
This unit, as per the Jerusalem Post, was responsible for the IDF’s victories and for “breaking the backbone of Hamas” in Khan Yunis, considered Hamas’ strongest military unit, from December 2023 to March 2024.
In addition to Division 98, IDF special forces unit Egoz, paratroopers, and the 7th Armored Brigade are also operating in Lebanon.
לוחמי אוגדה 98 ובהם לוחמי עוצבת הקומנדו, הצנחנים, והשריון של חטיבה 7 נערכו בשבועות האחרונים לפעולה קרקעית בדרום לבנון שהחלה אמש, במהלכם אישרו תוכניות והתאמנו בגזרה הצפונית>> pic.twitter.com/Fo6e22u12t
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) October 1, 2024
Before the start of the military operations, the head of the Egoz unit addressed its members, saying:
“We have the great honor of making history in the north as we did in Gaza. Today, we embark on a more significant invasion to ensure that residents of northern Israel can return to their homes. This is crucial because we haven’t invaded Lebanon since 2006.”
“I trust you, I am proud of you, and I know we will continue to make history,” the commander concluded.
IDF also released a video showing the preparation of Division 98 for the start of the invasion in Lebanon.
Israeli armed forces announced an invasion into southern Lebanon, with Arabic media outlets such as Al-Jazeera and MTV Lebanon reporting that tanks entered several villages in the area shortly after the operation was declared.
Just before 9:30 AM, the Israeli army issued a warning to those in southern Lebanon to limit vehicle movement due to ongoing “intense clashes.”
The message, written in Arabic, stated:
“Hezbollah forces are using civilians as human shields to launch attacks. For your safety, we urge you not to move vehicles from northern areas to the south of the Litani River.”
Hezbollah’s Response: “We Hit Them with Artillery, They Have Losses”
Hezbollah announced on Tuesday morning that it responded with artillery shelling against Metula, near the Israel-Lebanon border.
According to Arabic media, Hezbollah targeted Israeli soldiers in the Metula area with artillery shells, claiming to have caused losses.
So far, the IDF has not commented on these reports, only mentioning an air raid alert in Metula, where five rocket launchers were located, “some of which were intercepted.”
Limited Invasion for Now
For the moment, Israel’s operation, currently referred to as “limited,” could quickly escalate into a full-scale attack on Lebanon to completely neutralize Hezbollah. The Israelis seem determined to eliminate the hostile organization as the grim anniversary of October 7 approaches, commemorating the bloodshed caused by Hamas during its surprise attack on Israel.
Israel’s immediate goal is to restore security for its citizens living along the Lebanon border, who have been forced to leave border villages for months due to Hezbollah rocket attacks.
