In a significant military operation, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Wednesday that they had seized more than 85,000 items, including weapons and electronic devices, from Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The haul, which was part of an ongoing military action, includes a range of sophisticated weaponry, such as rocket launchers, anti-tank missiles, explosives, and over 60,000 electronics, all reportedly intended to target the citizens of Israel.
IDF forces have operated across more than 30 villages in southern Lebanon, an area where they have uncovered large weapons caches, rocket launchers, and tunnel shafts, often hidden in and around civilian zones. The IDF stated that these weapons were used by Hezbollah in their plan to “conquer the Galilee,” a region in northern Israel.
Among the seized items were 6,840 RPG rocket launchers, 340 Russian-made Kornet anti-tank missiles, 60 anti-aircraft missiles, and thousands of explosives. Additionally, soldiers found 20 vehicles, including jeeps and pickup trucks, as well as 60,800 electronic devices such as phones, laptops, and communication tools. Other seized weapons included 2,250 missiles, 2,700 light weapons, and thousands of other miscellaneous weapons, some of which were reportedly stockpiled by Hezbollah for future use.
The discovery of Russian-made weapons in the caches has raised concerns, with Israeli lawmakers considering the possibility of transferring these arms to Ukraine. The Russian-made arms, which make up about 70 percent of Hezbollah’s arsenal, included Kornet anti-tank missiles, Strela shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles, RPG-29 Vampire and RPG-27 Tavolga rocket-propelled grenade launchers, and various other heavy weapon systems. Many of these arms were found in their original packaging, with Russian labels still visible.
This seizure of weaponry follows a two-month ceasefire agreement that took effect on November 27, under which Hezbollah was supposed to withdraw its armed presence from areas south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon. As part of the ceasefire terms, the Lebanese Armed Forces are also being deployed along the border, with support from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). However, the IDF’s capture of such a vast array of weapons suggests that Hezbollah may not be fully adhering to the terms of the ceasefire, which is intended to prevent further escalation in the region.
Under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War, Hezbollah is prohibited from operating in southern Lebanon south of the Litani River. The continued presence of Hezbollah in the area, along with its weaponry, has raised concerns about the long-term stability of the ceasefire and the potential for future conflict.
The Israeli Defense Forces have vowed to continue their operations to secure the region and prevent Hezbollah from threatening Israeli citizens. As the situation unfolds, the international community will be watching closely to see if the ceasefire holds or if tensions will escalate once again in this volatile region.
Sources By Agencies
