It was a “secret” operation which lasted about a week, and allowed the Israeli forces occupying South Lebanon to cross the Litani River, towards the caza of Nabatiyé. Several days after this development on the ground, which had been marked by clashes with Hezbollah particularly at Deir Seriane, the Israeli army confirmed that it had made it possible to establish “operational control” of the area, while the Israeli Army Radio (GLZ) published details.
According to the version published by the Israeli army, the special operation involved the forces of the Golani brigade, which “cleared the Litani area and established operational control there.” The Israeli army discovered, in this region, “headquarters used by members of Hezbollah and underground infrastructures containing weapons, arsenals and launching platforms”, according to a message published on X by Arabic-speaking military spokesperson Avichay Adraee. This operation was carried out while the air force “struck more than 100 military targets in support of the infantry forces” and that “dozens of fighters” from Hezbollah were killed.
According to information from the GLZ, the operation involved, in addition to the Golani brigade, the Egoz unit, specialized in combat in complex terrain. They “secretly crossed the Litani” and advanced towards the outskirts of Zaoutar el-Charkiyé, an area “from which Hezbollah had fired rockets and mortar shells”. This locality, in the caza of Nabatiyé, is located on the north bank of the Litani, almost 10 kilometers west of the closest point of the border with Israel. This village, heavily shelled throughout last week, like the neighboring town of Zaoutar el-Gharbiyé, almost faces the occupied villages of Deir Seriane and Adchit el-Qousseir, in the caza of Marjeyoun, on the south bank of the river. The crossing was carried out by infantry troops and “with heavy armored personnel carriers”. This demonstrated “their ability to cross the river and prepared the possibility of a future crossing of the Litani, if necessary”, according to Israeli media information. On Monday, military sources indicated to Israeli Channel 12 that the army was preparing, on the ground in South Lebanon, for a potential political decision to extend the invasion into Lebanese territory.
Hezbollah fighters taken out of a tunnel
The Israeli army, after crossing the Litani, “operated on the outskirts” of Zaoutar. During the week that this operation lasted, short-range clashes took place on several occasions with Hezbollah, according to the radio, which claims that “several Israeli soldiers” were injured. A dog from the canine unit was also killed when “fighters came out of the entrance to a tunnel north of the Litani”, according to available information.
The president of the municipality of Zaoutar el-Charkiyé, Mohammad Ismail, told our correspondent in the South, Mountasser Abdallah, that he cannot personally confirm the presence or absence of Israeli forces in the river area. “We don’t know if they are still there or if they have withdrawn,” he stressed. However, he indicated that the images published by the Israeli army appear to have been taken along the river, near the village, and more precisely at the site of “Khallet Raj”, about two kilometers from the town. Several chalets, normally used by residents during the summer, were built along the river bed in this valley, located in a meander of the Litani.
Incarnation on the Nabatiyé region
Throughout the past week, the Israeli army has carried out dozens of bombings on Zaoutar el-Sharkiyé and, generally, in the Nabatiyé caza. Hezbollah claims almost daily kamikaze drone attacks or rocket attacks on Deir Seriane, particularly at the “banks of the river” which is located below and at Khallet Raj, as well as less regularly, Taybé, two villages occupied by Israel and through which Israeli forces advance. towards Zaoutar. On several occasions, the militia party claimed that these attacks had caused casualties in Israeli ranks. On May 4, the movement claimed to have led “close fighting” with Israeli forces “who were trying to advance” from the north of Deir Seriane in the direction of Zaoutar el-Charkiyé. According to Hezbollah, the Israeli army had to evacuate victims by helicopter and had retreated towards the east.
According to Mr. Ismaïl, Zaoutar has suffered, since the 3rd of the current month until today, “more than 70 destructive air strikes”. According to him, the extent of destruction in the village was estimated before the resumption of the war on March 2, at around 20%, but this rate would have increased to 45%, according to satellite images that he was able to consult. He emphasizes that he had hoped for the return of residents with the ceasefire, but that the intense campaign of strikes frustrated his attempts to motivate residents and restore water and electricity. Zaoutar el-Charkiyé normally houses 6,000 inhabitants, but today the village is completely deserted. “Even ambulances can no longer access it,” he stressed, reporting 30 deaths from the locality and 300 housing units destroyed.
The Israeli army continues to destroy houses, neighborhoods and infrastructure in numerous villages in the “buffer zone” that it has de facto established in Lebanese territory, along the Blue Line, under regular attacks from Hezbollah, notably by means of kamikaze drones. Bombings also continue to fall throughout southern Lebanon, up to the heights of the Jezzine caza and, more rarely, on the Bekaa. Over the weekend, several targeted assassinations were carried out in Chouf, about twenty kilometers south of Beirut.
