The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) warned Tuesday of “intense fighting” in southern Lebanon between the country’s troops and Hezbollah. Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, urged Lebanese civilians to avoid driving south of the Litani River due to escalating clashes with the militant group. “For your safety, we ask you to avoid movement in vehicles from the north to the south of the Litani River,” he said.
Israel: Raids will target Hezbollah strongholds
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari said on Tuesday that the military is conducting “limited and targeted raids” along the border with Lebanon as a response to Hezbollah’s threat to northern Israel. He stressed that the raids will target Hezbollah strongholds. “Hezbollah turned Lebanese villages next to Israeli villages into military bases all ready for an attack on Israel,” he said, claiming the militant group planned to use them as a “staging ground for an October 7-style invasion into Israeli homes.” He said southern Lebanon is “swarming with Hezbollah terrorists and weapons” and that Israel “has no choice” but to push Hezbollah back. He repeated that Israel does not want to harm Lebanese civilians but insisted that it will “continue to do everything necessary so that the citizens of Israel can return to their homes in safety and security.”