Israeli military says over 40 Hezbollah fighters killed in 24 hours of strikes

The Israeli military said it carried out extensive operations against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon over the past 24 hours, involving air, naval and ground forces.

In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it killed more than 40 Hezbollah fighters and struck dozens of sites it described as militant infrastructure. The operations were part of ongoing targeted ground activities in southern Lebanon, combined with aerial and naval strikes.

According to the IDF, the Israeli Air Force hit multiple sites, including command centres, weapons storage facilities, launch positions and anti-tank missile sites. The Israeli Navy also conducted a strike on what the military described as a Hezbollah weapons depot in southern Lebanon.

The military said troops from its 91st Division identified and killed members of a Hezbollah cell during ground operations, and dismantled a number of positions, including observation posts and anti-tank missile launch sites.

The IDF added that forces from the 36th Division killed three armed individuals on motorcycles who it said posed a threat to Israeli troops. It reported that approximately 10 additional fighters were killed in the same area over the past day, along with strikes on dozens of other sites.

Meanwhile, troops from the 146th Division dismantled more than 180 sites described by the military as militant infrastructure, including anti-tank launch positions, observation posts, underground facilities and weapons storage locations. Soldiers from the 162nd Division also located and seized weapons, including anti-tank missiles, assault rifles, ammunition and grenades, the statement said.

By Sabina Mammadli