Deception Operation Exposed: How the IDF Outwitted Hezbollah and Crossed the Litani

For the first time since 1982, IDF forces crossed the river in southern Lebanon after weeks of preparations and earlier commando operations. The military says Hezbollah is struggling to restore its command structure and drone capabilities, but continues to concentrate efforts on defending Nabatieh.

Nitzan Shapira, N12 Published: 11.06.26, 19:00

In Brief IDF forces also achieved operational control in the area north of the Saluki stream in southern Lebanon. The move was made possible after a deception exercise intended to mislead Hezbollah. Engineering units built bridges over the river and opened routes toward Nabatieh. The IDF is seeing a certain decrease in the number of explosive drone strikes. Security official: "Hezbollah is suffering significant attrition in manpower."

For the first time since the First Lebanon War, the IDF crossed the Litani River as part of the fighting in southern Lebanon. A senior military official revealed that the move became possible after weeks of preparations, commando operations, and a deception exercise designed to make Hezbollah deploy in one sector, while the forces broke through along a different route and reached the river by surprise.

IDF activity in the Saluki area | Photo: IDF Spokesperson IDF forces in the Beaufort area | Photo: IDF Spokesperson

According to the official, the IDF identified that Hezbollah was preparing to prevent a crossing of the Litani River and the Saluki stream using an array of observation posts, cameras, and outposts. In response, the army decided to carry out a prolonged deception operation. "For a period of time we carried out a diversion that made them think we were going north from the eastern side," he said. "In practice, we opened a route covertly inside a wadi. We came from the rear, and that surprised them מאוד."

Later in the operation, engineering forces bridged the river and opened several movement routes toward Nabatieh, a major Shiite stronghold of Hezbollah. According to the senior official, dozens of Hezbollah militants were killed in the Litani area during the operation.

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The underground routes and weapons found | Photo: IDF Spokesperson

As for Hezbollah's explosive drone threat, the official said it remains one of the main challenges for the forces on the ground. He noted that the IDF is identifying a certain decrease in the number of hits, in part due to targeted killings of drone operators, improved detection and response capabilities by the forces, and Hezbollah's difficulties in supplying equipment and manpower. "We brought in ammunition intended to help deal with the threat, and when the forces identify the drones, the interception rates are good," he said. He added that additional systems are expected to enter service soon to help detect drones and provide warning about them.

The underground area at Beaufort | Photo: IDF Spokesperson

The IDF assesses that Hezbollah is suffering significant attrition in manpower and in its command-and-control capabilities, but continues to concentrate efforts on defending Nabatieh. "It very much wants to prevent the capture of Nabatieh," said the officer, describing how the terror group is reinforcing the area with operatives brought in from the Bekaa Valley and Beirut.

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According to him, Hezbollah is suffering from a shortage of operational capabilities in a number of areas, including anti-tank weapons, observation and drones, but still maintains skilled forces operating in the sector. "It still has forces that are more skilled, and they are also the ones operating the drones mainly."

Beaufort tunnels

In parallel with the fighting in the Nabatieh area, forces from the Commando Brigade combat team and the Yahalom Unit continue to operate to clear the underground tunnel network beneath the Beaufort ridge. The IDF says this is an array that was built and financed over the years by Iran, and served Hezbollah as a central asset for managing the fighting in the sector.

During the operation, numerous weapons were found in the tunnels, including Kornet missiles, RPG launchers, mortar shells, grenades and machine guns. In footage published by the IDF, the forces are seen operating inside one of the underground routes. In one video, a drone is seen scanning a tunnel, while a Hezbollah terrorist opens fire at it from inside the compound. Later, the forces identified several terrorists who fled the tunnel and tried to escape the area. The Air Force, guided by the forces on the ground, attacked the terrorists and killed them from the air.

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