Israeli special forces operating inside Lebanon – IDF January 16, 2024Israeli soldiers at a staging area near the Israeli border with Lebanon, northern Israel, October 15, 2023. (David Cohen/Flash90)David Cohen/Flash90Israeli special forces operating inside Lebanon – IDF‘Hezbollah is exploiting the area of the Wadi for its terrorist activity.’By Vered Weiss, World Israel NewsAmid an increase in Hezbollah missile attacks on the northern border, the IDF has expanded its operations into southern Lebanon, hitting multiple terrorist infrastructure targets and deploying special forces to Lebanon, the IDF reports.The IDF announced it neutralized a terror threat in the Ita al-Sha’ab area and destroyed a Hezbollah anti-tank launcher.In a statement, the IDF said, “A short while ago, the IDF completed combined aerial and artillery strikes on a number of Hezbollah terror targets in the area of Wadi Saluki in Lebanon.”“Within a short amount of time, strikes were carried out against dozens of Hezbollah posts, military structures, and weapons infrastructure,” the statement continued.“Hezbollah is exploiting the area of the Wadi for its terrorist activity. Numerous assets and infrastructure have been concealed by the terror organization in the forested area, for the purpose of attacking Israeli civilians and soldiers.”צה"ל השלים לפני זמן קצר תקיפה משולבת של מטרות רבות של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה במרחב ואדי סלוקי שבדרום לבנון באמצעות מטוסי קרב וארטילריה.תוך זמן קצר הושלמה תקיפה לעבר עשרות עמדות, מבנים צבאיים ותשתיות אמצעי לחימה של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה >> pic.twitter.com/KwVY6KPubc— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) January 16, 2024Hezbollah denied that IDF ground forces were operating in Israel.Read WATCH: IDF destroys massive 2.5 km long Hamas tunnelAccording to a report by the Hezbollah-affiliate al-Mayadeen network, IDF ground forces attempted to infiltrate al-Raheb military site to install surveillance devices but were thwarted.Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Major General Ori Gordin, head of the Northern Command, declared a high state of readiness to the 5030 Battalion during an exercise as reported by i24.He said, “The exercise we are in is part of the importance of increasing our readiness for the expansion of the fighting and the attack on Lebanon. We are more ready for this than we have ever been, for tonight if we have to.”“We will continue to strengthen the readiness and the assessments moving forward,” Gordin added.“On October 7th we went to war, a war for our home. You all showed up long before we called you to do this defense mission. Even now tens of thousands of soldiers are deployed to do defense on the northern border of Lebanon,” he said. HezbollahIDFLebanonWadi Saluki
