Amid its ongoing crackdown and back-to-back airstrikes on hideouts of Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Thursday released a video showing its strikes in Lebanon’s populated areas where it alleged the Iran-backed terror group had stashed weapons.
According to the IDF, Hezbollah has strategically embedded its arsenal within residential homes across Lebanon.
“For the last 20 years, Hezbollah built its terror network within population centres in Lebanon – primarily throughout southern Lebanon, an area that they turned almost entirely into a launch pad to attack Israel,” the IDF said in a post on X.
The video, posted on social media platform X, emphasised the secrecy of Hezbollah’s activities.
“Hezbollah doesn’t want you to watch this video. And they really don’t want you to share it,” the IDF said.
The video is seen as an attempt to counter criticisms surrounding the IDF’s airstrikes on populated areas in Lebanon. The Israeli military also said that its actions are part of a defensive campaign targeting Hezbollah’s weaponry, which it claims was poised to strike Israeli civilian targets.
“The IDF has launched a defensive operation against the Hezbollah terror organisation by conducting precise intelligence-based strikes on hundreds of Hezbollah targets. Our goal is to thwart imminent attacks planned by Hezbollah who intended to use the very weapons that we destroyed – at Israeli homes,” it said.
The IDF further stressed that the overarching goal of the operation is to ensure the safe return of Israeli families to their homes, free from the threat of Hezbollah’s arsenal.
Our goal is to make sure that Israeli families can safely and securely return to their homes,” it added.
Earlier in the day, Israel rejected a push led by the United States for a 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon, vowing to keep fighting Hezbollah militants “until victory”.
“There will be no ceasefire in the north. We will continue to fight against the Hezbollah terrorist organisation with all our strength until victory and the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes,” Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a post on X.
Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon have killed hundreds of people this week, while the terror group has retaliated with rocket barrages.
