File image.
Hezbollah on May 25 released videos documenting recent coordinated drone attacks in southern Lebanon, amid reports that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is preparing to expand ground operations in the region.
The first video shows a series of strikes that targeted an artillery site of the IDF close to the town of Bayada on May 16, while the second shows an attack against a field command post of the 401st Brigade in the town of Debl that took place on May 19 and 20.
The artillery site was targeted with multiple fiber optic-guided first-person view (FPV) suicide quadcopters, in addition to fixed-wing suicide drones, a granade-dropping quadcopter, and rockets. The site was wrecked, with a M577 Mugaf command post carrier destroyed along with several other vehicles.
The scale of the losses forced the IDF to abandon the artillery site within a few hours of Hezbollah’s attack, leaving behind a Merkava Mk 4M main battle tank and several other pieces of equipment, which were also hit and destroyed later.
The later attack on Debl was even more effective, with one drone breaking into the field command post of the 401st Brigade.
The IDF acknowledged at the time that the commander of the 401st Armored Brigade, Col. Meir Biderman, 41, was seriously wounded. A reserve lieutenant colonel serving in the 162nd Division was moderately wounded in the same attack, and an additional reservist sustained light injuries.
A Namer armored personnel carrier that was brought in to help evacuate the command post was hit, along with the truck transporting ammunition.
The latest attacks shows that Hezbollah is not just increasing the production of drones, but also employing them in more complex operations.
The IDF has been attempting to contain this emerging threat with basic counter measures like mesh nets, but with little to no success.
In the face of this situation, Hebrew media reported on May 26 that the IDF is expanding ground operations beyond the designated security zone in parts of southern Lebanon to push Hezbollah farther north and reduce the threat posed by the group’s drone to northern Israeli settlements.
According to the reports, Israeli troops have been carrying out targeted intelligence-based raids both beyond the forward defensive line and north of the Litani River, focusing on areas where Hezbollah maintains infrastructure and operational footholds.
The military reportedly believes distancing Hezbollah forces from the border could help reduce the threat to northern settlements.
The ground operations come alongside intensified Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon, with the IDF striking more than 100 Hezbollah sites overnight.
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