In a precise aerial operation earlier today, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) targeted and eliminated two operatives from Hezbollah’s elite “Radwan Force” in the Mis al-Jabal area of southern Lebanon. The strikes, confirmed by an IDF spokesperson, neutralized individuals actively engaged in intelligence gathering and hostile activity along the volatile Israel-Lebanon border, underscoring Israel’s continuing efforts to confront regional threats posed by Iranian-backed terror networks.
According to the official military statement, Israeli aircraft engaged the Hezbollah operatives who were collecting information for future attacks. One of the individuals had been observed conducting reconnaissance in the border area—activity that Israeli defense officials cite as a direct precursor to potential cross-border assaults targeting military and civilian sites in northern Israel. These IDF actions are consistent with Israel’s policy of pre-empting threats and protecting its population, especially in a period of heightened tension.
Hezbollah’s Radwan Force, a unit named after a killed senior Hezbollah commander, is known for its specialized training in infiltration, guerrilla warfare, and gathering operational intelligence. The force has increased its presence along the border since October 2023, when the war with Hamas—another Iranian proxy—erupted following the deadliest antisemitic massacre since the Holocaust, perpetrated by Hamas terrorists on October 7. That massacre, marked by the murder, mutilation, and abduction of Israeli civilians, led to a full-scale conflict in Gaza and raised tensions with other Iranian-supported groups, most notably Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well as the Houthis in Yemen and militias in Syria and Iraq.
The IDF’s campaign in the north aims to degrade Hezbollah’s ability to launch complex attacks, which often begin with intelligence collection and are supported by a vast arsenal of Iranian-supplied weaponry. According to military estimates, Hezbollah controls over 150,000 rockets and missiles, many hidden in civilian infrastructure—violating international law and UN Security Council resolutions. Israeli officials maintain that these targeted responses are conducted in line with self-defense under international law and are crucial for preventing the kind of wide-scale attacks threatened by Hezbollah leadership and facilitated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Residents of northern Israel have repeatedly suffered from rocket fire, anti-tank missile attacks, and infiltration attempts since the onset of the war in Gaza, prompting evacuations of border communities and leading to a prolonged period of instability across the region. IDF operations in Mis al-Jabal and other border hotspots are designed to disrupt these activities before they endanger Israeli citizens. Military leaders emphasize that every precaution is taken to avoid civilian casualties, and that Hezbollah’s practice of embedding assets in civilian areas in Lebanon constitutes a war crime and increases the risk to uninvolved populations.
Security experts and international observers have expressed growing concern over the escalation in Lebanon amid the broader regional conflict. The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, reiterates its commitment to defending the country’s northern frontier and insists that the Lebanese government, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701, must exert control over its territory and disarm Hezbollah. The Lebanese state, however, has struggled to rein in the group, leaving the IDF with the responsibility of neutralizing active threats.
The United States, Israel’s most important ally, has called for restraint on all sides while affirming Israel’s right to self-defense. American officials have also placed responsibility on Iran for fueling conflict through its proxies, with Hezbollah’s actions viewed as part of Tehran’s broader strategy to destabilize Israel and the wider Middle East.
Today’s targeted eliminations are emblematic of Israel’s current security doctrine: precise, intelligence-driven, and oriented toward preventing another large-scale attack like that of October 7. In both Gaza and along the Lebanon frontier, Israeli military actions are embedded in a larger struggle against Iranian aggression and its regional proxies, who openly declare their intent to destroy Israel and whose terror campaigns routinely violate the norms and laws of war.
As the Iron Swords War progresses, with ongoing fighting in Gaza and continued threats on multiple fronts, maintaining a robust defensive posture on the northern border remains a top Israeli priority. The IDF’s recent successes against Hezbollah operatives gathering operational intelligence send a clear signal that Israel will act decisively to prevent future atrocities and secure its sovereignty against ongoing terror threats.
