IDF's Reserve Armor Brigade Secures Strategic Southern Lebanon Ridge After Intense Combat

The IDF's Reserve Armor Brigade 679 (Yiftach Formation) has added a significant chapter to its storied history by becoming the first brigade since the Second Lebanon War to capture the strategic Silvester Ridge in southern Lebanon. After nearly two months of intense ground operations approximately 15 kilometers north of the Blue Line, the brigade is preparing to conclude its mission.

Brigade Commander Lt. Col. Itai Zeafrani, 38, from Ashdod, who has extended his command for a third year to continue leading his troops, detailed recent combat incidents. In one operation, a militant opened fire on an officer, prompting a swift and forceful response involving air support and tank fire that neutralized the attacker. However, the brigade continued searching the area for the militant’s body, employing tracking dogs, which led to the discovery of two additional militants hiding underground. A fierce battle ensued, resulting in the death of one militant, while the other, identified as Radwan, surrendered after pleading in English, "Don't shoot, I want to live."

Zeafrani emphasized the militants’ low morale, noting they had been hiding for weeks with minimal food, fearful of Israeli forces, and primarily seeking survival rather than combat. He also refuted claims that soldiers were inadequately protected, highlighting the brigade’s combined arms approach, including reserve and regular units, engineering, artillery, and intelligence, which provided overwhelming operational superiority.

The commander recently met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stressing the critical role of reservists who have served over 500 days in the past three years and warning about the heavy toll and need for longer recovery periods between deployments. Netanyahu reportedly listened attentively.

Since the ceasefire, the IDF has pushed Hezbollah forces back, creating a sterile security zone in southern Lebanon devoid of civilians, seizing large quantities of weapons, and degrading Hezbollah’s strategic capabilities. Although Hezbollah continues drone operations, these are not considered a strategic threat. Zeafrani concluded that maintaining control over these areas is essential for protecting northern Israel, requiring substantial manpower and strong reserve brigades to hold the gains over time.