IDF Advances in Hezbollah Stronghold Bint Jbeil, Destroying Terror Infrastructure

Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) troops recently crossed into Lebanon near Avivim, targeting Hezbollah’s historic stronghold of Bint Jbeil. Lieutenant Colonel S., deputy commander of the 401st Brigade reserves, described discovering a Kornet anti-tank missile inside a civilian home aimed at Israel, along with other weapons seized from a luxury villa destroyed during the operation. Earlier, IDF forces cleared and detonated two roadside bombs near the "Spider Web" stadium, a symbolic site in Bint Jbeil.

The operation marks the third IDF deployment in Bint Jbeil, a town known as Hezbollah’s historical capital. Lieutenant Colonel S. recalled previous deployments in the 1990s and the 2006 Lebanon War, noting a strategic shift from defensive containment to actively removing threats from Israeli border communities. The recent offensive follows the March 2025 withdrawal from northern Lebanon and the collapse of a UN Security Council ceasefire declared in November 2024.

In February 2026, amid the "Roar of the Lion" operation against Iran, Hezbollah’s 1,200-strong Radwan Force moved south to retake positions lost during the 2025 IDF maneuver "Northern Arrows." The IDF responded with artillery and ground assaults, destroying approximately 40% of Bint Jbeil’s area so far, aiming to demolish 70% of buildings linked to terrorist infrastructure and establish new military posts.

Lieutenant Colonel R., commander of the 101st Paratroopers Battalion, led the 10-kilometer advance into Bint Jbeil, confronting around 150 remaining militants after encirclement by IDF forces. The battle carries historical weight, recalling the 2006 battle where Captain Roi Klein fell heroically. The shattered "Spider Web" stadium, site of Hassan Nasrallah’s 2000 speech predicting Israel’s demise, now symbolizes Hezbollah’s decline.

Despite operational control, residual enemy fighters and booby traps remain, with recent clashes eliminating militants and capturing a Hezbollah operative. Reservists, serving for three years in infrastructure destruction, face physical and emotional challenges but remain committed. Lieutenant Colonel S. emphasized the importance of shared societal responsibility in defense and the necessity of denying Hezbollah any capability to attack or occupy Israeli communities.

"Sometimes there is a gap between reality and perception," he said. "I don’t care if Hezbollah wants to attack today; I want to know if they can, and we must ensure they cannot."