Israeli Officer Moderately Wounded in South Lebanon Clash During Anti-Hezbollah Operation

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported on Saturday that an officer was moderately injured overnight during a clash with militants in a military operation in southern Lebanon. The wounded soldier was evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment, and his family has been informed. A senior Israeli defense official stated on Wednesday that the Northern Command is advancing according to plan, conducting ground sweeps in areas under Israeli operational control to locate Hezbollah terror infrastructure and weaponry, while pushing militants away.

The official emphasized that the destruction of Hezbollah's infrastructure is systematic and well understood by the group. IDF forces are either destroying or confiscating weapons depending on the situation. The operations, including strikes from ground and air, are carried out within areas under Israeli control and in coordination with the Lebanese government, focusing on preventing Hezbollah from entering these zones.

The senior official also highlighted Israel's intention to enable the Lebanese army to implement a pilot program aimed at taking responsibility for areas where the IDF has not operated, including dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure. Although this has not yet occurred, Israel has committed to the United States to facilitate this transition in the future.