Saluki Valley Secured: Dozens of Hezbollah Fighters Eliminated on the Defense Line

A severe blow was dealt to Hezbollah’s terror infrastructure on its forward defensive line in southern Lebanon, as forces from the 7th Brigade combat team and the Egoz unit, under the command of the 36th Division, completed a complex operation to achieve full operational control and clear the area north of the Saluki stream, the military said Thursday morning.

The targeted operation is part of a broader divisional effort to deepen the IDF’s foothold and operational control in southern Lebanon, with the main goal of removing the direct, daily threat hanging over the communities of the Galilee Panhandle and the town of Metula.

The Saluki area has in recent years, and especially during the months of fighting, served as a strategic route and central infrastructure for the Hezbollah terror organization. From this dense terrain, the group’s operatives used to launch explosive drones and carry out indirect fire, rocket attacks, against IDF forces operating in the area and against the Israeli home front.

During the prolonged activity on the ground, the fighters worked in close cooperation with the Air Force. The combination of ground forces and air support led to the destruction of hundreds of the organization’s terror infrastructures and the killing of more than 50 militants in various engagements.

As part of searches and the clearing of the mountainous area, fighters from the 7th Brigade and Egoz found large stockpiles of weapons hidden in the terrain. Among other things, powerful explosive devices, advanced anti-tank missiles, and anti-tank launchers that were ready to be used against our forces were discovered and confiscated.

The IDF emphasizes that achieving operational control in the northern Saluki stream represents a significant blow to Hezbollah’s operational capabilities in the sector, and that the forces will continue to act decisively in all areas in order to remove any threat to the State of Israel and the residents of the north.