Israeli elite troops entered southern Lebanon to root out Hezbollah terrorists and infrastructure there. Israel recently made the return of the residents of northern Israel a war goal. They have been displaced from their homes and businesses for a year as Hezbollah started sending rockets and mortars on the border towns on October 8, 2023. The elite 36th Division—which includes the Golani Brigade, the 188th Armored Brigade, the Etzioni Brigade, and other units—joined the ground offensive as well as air support and artillery fire from the 282nd Fire Brigade. The IDF sent warnings in Arabic for immediate evacuation of twenty-four villages in southern Lebanon, asking them to move north past the Awali River.

Over the Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) holiday, the IDF called up four reserve brigades. A statement by the IDF said, “Their mobilization will support the ongoing combat efforts against Hezbollah and the achievement of the war’s objectives, including the safe return of northern residents to their homes.” Many of these elite troops have also fought bravely against Hamas in Gaza over this past year.

“During the raids, paratroopers uncovered dozens of weapons and combat positions, while fighters from the Egoz unit located and destroyed a Hezbollah rocket-launching and explosive storage site,” the IDF said. The Israeli Air Force made 100 strikes on Hezbollah targets over a 24-hour period in support of the limited ground offensive. Regardless, Hezbollah still launched approximately 100 rockets in one day toward the north, the Galilee region and Haifa area. The rockets were mostly shot down by air defense systems or landed in open areas.

Please pray for the safety of Israel’s troops in southern Lebanon as they fight Hezbollah terrorists and aim to dismantle their weapons and infrastructure.

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