Israel Destroys Hezbollah’s Underground Southern Command Bunkers; 50 Terrorists Killed

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported Tuesday that it had destroyed the underground command bunkers of Hezbollah’s forces in southern Lebanon, killing 50 terrorists and dealing a further blow to the terror organization.

In a statement, the IDF said:

Yesterday (Monday), the IAF conducted a series of strikes in southern Lebanon on underground command centers of Hezbollah’s units in southern Lebanon: Nasser Unit, Bader Unit, Aziz Unit, and the Radwan Forces in the area.

For years, Hezbollah’s Southern Front has built an extensive network of underground infrastructure and command centers in southern Lebanon, aimed at attacking IDF soldiers during combat and executing attack plans against communities in northern Israel.

Yesterday, with precise guidance from the Intelligence Directorate, in coordination with the Northern Command and Operations Directorate, the IAF carried out a series of strikes to destroy this infrastructure and eliminate operatives and commanders who were present at the sites and were directing attacks against Israel. These strikes support the IDF’s limited, localized, targeted ground activity in southern Lebanon and are another step in changing the security situation in northern Israel.

According to IDF assessments, in the last 24 hours, 50 targets of the Aziz Unit, 30 targets of the Nasser Unit, and 5 targets of the Bader Unit were struck. Additionally, around 10 targets of the Radwan Forces and Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters, as well as approximately 30 targets of the medium-range rocket unit in southern Lebanon, were targeted.

It is estimated that at least 50 Hezbollah terrorists were killed in the strikes, including:

* Ahmad Hassan Nazal, head of the attack sector in Bint Jbeil for the Radwan Forces

* Hussein Talal Kamal, head of the Ghajar sector

* Musa Diab Barakat, outgoing head of the Ghajar sector

* Mahmoud Mus Karnib, operations chief for the Ghajar sector

* Ali Ahmad Ismail, artillery commander for the Bint Jbeil sector

* Abdullah Ali Dakik, artillery commander for the Ghajar sector

The IDF continues its operations to degrade Hezbollah’s capabilities and defend the citizens of the State of Israel.

In a briefing on Tuesday evening, IDF Spokesman Daniel Hagari added that the command bunkers had been central to Hezbollah’s plan to caryr out an October 7-style attack on Israel, called “Conquer the Galilee.” He elaborated (translation via IDF):

This evening, we can confirm that in the airstrike we carried out yesterday afternoon, we struck and destroyed dozens of underground command centers of Hezbollah’s Southern Front, which included the commanders responsible for managing the combat against Israel in the south. They were also responsible for execution of the “Conquer the Galilee” plan.

…

Additionally, we eliminated at least four commanders in the Ghajir sector who were responsible for the raid on the communities of Nir’s Ridge. Hezbollah’s Southern Front, under the command of the terrorist Ali Karaki—whom we eliminated along with Hassan Nasrallah—systematically operated, for years, building an underground command structure in southern Lebanon from which they managed attacks against the State of Israel. The terrorists we eliminated yesterday, were the commanders and operatives who, on the day of the order, were set to infiltrate Israeli territory into the northern communities to murder and abduct Israeli civilians. So far, it can be confirmed that over 50 terrorists were killed in the strike, including 6 senior commanders. This is a significant moral, command, and operational blow to Hezbollah terrorists.

Israel also conducted airstrikes in Damascus, Syria, where Iranian military advisers to Hezbollah are thought to be based; and airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in the Dahiyeh neighborhood of southern Beirut.

Hezbollah launched 180 rockets at the Israeli port city of Haifa over the course of the day on Tuesday, a small number relative to the capacity that the organization was thought to be capable of firing just a few weeks ago. Most of the rockets were intercepted; overall, the attacks caused a few injuries. The IDF said shortly after the rocket launchers that it had destroyed the firing positions from which some rockets were launched.

Schools are closed Wednesday in Haifa’s northern suburbs.