Israel says its helicopters attack Hezbollah command centre in southern Lebanon

On March 16 evening, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) conducted multiple airstrikes targeting a command and control center belonging to the Radwan Force, along with Hezbollah facilities in southern Lebanon, an IDF spokesperson said on Telegram.

The spokesperson said these strikes were in retaliation for a cross-border incident earlier in the day, when a bullet fired from Lebanon hit a vehicle windshield in the northern Israeli community of Avivim, Caliber.Az reports.

"The presence of such terrorist infrastructure constitutes a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon. The IDF will not allow this kind of activity and will act against it. The IDF will strike armed terrorists in southern Lebanon, and will operate in order to remove any threat to the State of Israel,” the spokesperson writes.

To recall, earlier that evening, Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee stated on X that “an unoccupied car parked in the Avivim area near the Lebanese border was fired upon, although no injuries were reported.”

He added that “the incident, which appears to involve gunfire from within Lebanon, prompted the Israel Defense Forces to conduct sweeps in the area,” noting that “firing from Lebanon toward Israeli territory violates the understandings between the two countries.”

Further reports from Lebanon indicated that an additional airstrike was carried out by an Israeli helicopter in the village of Yaroun. This marked the third Israeli helicopter strike on the village on March 16, as reported by Hezbollah-affiliated network Al-Mayadeen.

For the record, since the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was established in late November 2024, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have conducted several operations in Lebanon, citing violations by Hezbollah.  

By Khagan Isayev