Latest news with #IDF
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hezbollah's Radwan Unit 'unfit' to carry out large-scale invasion into Israel
According to data collected by the Alma Center, the Radwan Unit was rendered unfit, at least temporarily, to launch a large-scale invasion into northern Israel. Since Hezbollah joined the Israel-Hamas war and until the ceasefire on November 27, 2024, Hezbollah suffered a 'fatal blow,' Tal Beeri, Head of the Research Department at the Alma Center for the Study of Security Challenges in the North, wrote in an analysis published Wednesday. The analysis, titled "Radwan Unit: The elimination of its operatives teaches about attempts to return to the South Litani and rebuild operational readiness," focused on IDF operations against the Radwan unit during the war and the organization's conduct since the ceasefire. Beeri estimated that after the attacks, the Radwan Unit was rendered unfit, at least temporarily, to carry out its central mission of launching a large-scale invasion into northern Israel. 'Even the chance of a more limited invasion, of 'only' dozens or 'only' a few hundred operatives, is extremely low," he wrote. Since the ceasefire, according to the data collected by the center, 108 Hezbollah operatives have been documented and confirmed as killed from open sources. Of these, 13 operatives, about 12%, were from the Radwan Unit. Beeri noted that this is a high percentage relative to the size of the unit within the total military force of Hezbollah, adding that "All 13 operatives of the Radwan Unit who were killed since the ceasefire were eliminated in the area south of the Litani River ('Area 1701')." "The first confirmed killing of an operative from the Radwan Unit, according to open-source materials, occurred on March 4, 2025,' Beeri wrote, adding that the unit began making its return to the area south of the Litani River 'no later than three months after the ceasefire began." "It seems that in the first months following the ceasefire, and in light of the damage done to it, the Radwan Unit lowered its profile and may have physically distanced itself from southern Lebanon, with an emphasis on the area south of the Litani River," he explained. The analysis detailed the process of rebuilding and regaining strength that the unit has begun implementing, explaining that operatives have begun carrying out recovery and rebuilding actions, 'including re-establishing their presence in southern Lebanon in general, and south of the Litani in particular. 'It seems that this renewed presence and activity began to be detected by Israel's intelligence collection sensors. As is known, intelligence collection sensors are not airtight, and accordingly, counteraction efforts are not airtight either." Beeri's analysis of the findings showed the Radwan Unit's repeated attempts to return and operate in southern Lebanon, 'largely in a covert manner." "As part of building its updated operational plans, the Radwan Unit is focusing on building readiness for carrying out targeted terrorist operations against the IDF's presence in southern Lebanon or for infiltrating into Israel,' he added. 'From details gathered from various reports about the eliminations of Radwan operatives in southern Lebanon, it is clear that the Radwan Unit is 'recalculating its course' and rebuilding its operational plans to be prepared to execute them." According to Beeri, such actions could manifest in "an attempt to infiltrate a specific area of Israeli territory using small cells, carrying out an attack against IDF forces in Lebanon, and so on." He emphasized the importance of maintaining the IDF's presence along the border, as well as stating that the deployment of the Lebanese Army didn't provide any real deterrence or control. "Recently, it was reported that the Lebanese Army is deployed in about 80% of the area south of the Litani River. However, it cannot be concluded that they control the entire area where they are deployed,' Beeri stated, adding that it was 'highly doubtful' that the Lebanese Army could deter the Radwan Unit in southern Lebanon. Beeri concluded by calling for the preservation of security capabilities in the border communities. "Alongside the IDF's preparation in southern Lebanon, it is necessary to preserve the ability of the border communities to defend themselves, maintaining the readiness of their response units as a last line of defense in situations where a small number of terrorists might infiltrate into the community."
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former hostage Agam Berger performs at Air Force pilot's graduation ceremony
Berger performed the song "They Will Always Wait for You" alongside the IDF's military band. Former Gaza hostage Agam Berger performed the song "They Will Always Wait for You" on the violin alongside the IDF's military band at the 190th Air Force graduation ceremony on Thursday. The Israel Air Force's Wing Ceremony took place at Hatzerim base with President Isaac Herzog, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Washington at the time of the ceremony. Berger, an IDF observer who was kidnapped from the Nahal Oz base on October 7, noted, was released in January 2025. Berger enlisted after a year of preparatory military service at "Gal" in Akko with the "Acharei" program. While training to be an observer, she was selected to be the platoon commander's assistant, and was chosen as a candidate for the 'Stars' track, which identifies candidates for command positions. When asked to explain why she deserved to join the track, she wrote that she saw the role as a mission and wanted to provide soldiers with a sense of faith and security. During the course, Agam was stationed at the Kerem Shalom outpost, and one week before the end of the course, her assignment was changed, and she arrived at Nahal Oz. Berger was kidnapped along with her fellow observers Naama Levy, Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Ori Megidish, and Noa Marciano. Karina, Daniella, Naama, and Liri were released in the second wave of the exchange that same month. Ori was rescued in a joint operation by the IDF and Shin Bet, and Noa Marciano was murdered in captivity.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
IDF strikes Hezbollah Radwan training camps deep in Lebanese territory
An attack on mere Hezbollah infantry training camps, which lack threatening weapons, shows how up against the wall Hezbollah is. The IDF on Tuesday attacked Hezbollah Radwan training camps around 100 km. deep into Lebanon in the Bekaa Valley, showing that it is now ready to attack the group anywhere in Lebanon, even if high-quality weapons are not in play. After the November 27, 2024, ceasefire with Hezbollah, Israel and the IDF primarily relegated any attacks to keeping Hezbollah forces out of southern Lebanon – enforcing the letter of the law of the ceasefire deal. However, as weeks and months passed since the ceasefire, Israel started to occasionally target specific Hezbollah sites in Beirut or deeper into the country, where the Lebanese terror group was starting to try to restore or reposition its remaining high-quality missiles and rockets. Tuesday's attack was unusual because it did not involve southern Lebanon and did not involve any high-quality weapons. Rather, the IDF said it had attacked Hezbollah's Radwan special forces' training camps and their storage centers for ammunition. Located over 100 km. away, these camps and their regular ammunition present no immediate or even medium-term threat to Israel, given that they would need to try to return to southern Lebanon, which Hezbollah has failed to do to date, before they could even try to conceive of invading Israel. Despite these facts, the IDF stated that the sole reason for the existence of these camps was to train for invading Israel at some point, and as such, it was in Israel's interest to disrupt the training. Also, the IDF noted that the threat was not theoretical, as Radwan is the special forces whose primary goal for years had been to invade the Galilee and conquer portions of it, in a nightmare scenario that could have been worse than Hamas's October 7 invasion. Next, the IDF recalled that in September 2024, it had managed to kill almost all of Radwan's senior commanders, but that IDF intelligence had detected attempts by Radwan to remake itself in these Bekaa Valley camps. Likewise, Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Israel will strike any attempt by Radwan or other Hezbollah forces to try to rebuild capabilities for invading the Jewish state. All of this takes place as Hezbollah is at a low point in its power militarily and politically in Lebanon versus the other ethnic groups in the country, which also have stakes in aspects of state power. Israel's periodically hitting its capabilities and mid-level commanders from the air, its loss at least for now of Iranian financial support due to Tehran's need to recover from its own war with Israel, and the loss of the alliance with the Assad regime in Syria, have left Hezbollah hounded on several fronts simultaneously, and other Lebanese groups vying to reduce its control over the state.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
IDF destroys terror infrastructure in Gaza's Beit Hanun, Khan Yunis
IDF soldiers destroyed a Khan Yunis terror tunnel complex approximately 3.5 km long, which contained several tunnels, including sleeping quarters for terrorists. Soldiers from the IDF's Givati Brigade, under the 162nd Division, as well as the 646th and Northern Gaza Brigades, under the 99th Division, operated in Gaza's Beit Hanun, killing dozens of terrorists and dismantling terror infrastructure, the military confirmed on Tuesday. Givati Brigade soldiers, along with IDF Combat Engineers, dismantled a launcher used by Hamas terrorists to fire rockets towards Israel, the military added. 646th Brigade reservists located an explosives site and coordinated with an Israel Air Force aircraft to strike and dismantle it, the military confirmed. Northern Gaza Brigade soldiers also coordinated with the IAF to kill an armed terrorist carrying weapons in Beit Hanun. Additionally, soldiers from the IDF's Kfir Brigade and Yahalom Combat Engineers, operating under the IDF's 36th Division, mapped and destroyed a terror tunnel complex in the Gaza Strip's Khan Yunis, the military confirmed in a separate statement on Tuesday. The tunnel complex was approximately 3.5 km long and contained several tunnels, which included sleeping quarters for terrorists, the military noted. Kfir Brigade soldiers also destroyed an explosive storage facility and located weapons in the area, seizing them, the military added. Further, the IDF published footage of IAF fighter jet pilots conducting strikes against terrorists from Hezbollah's Radwan Force in south Lebanon's Bekaa Valley earlier on Tuesday. The targets struck included training camps and ammunition storage centers, The Jerusalem Post previously reported. Additionally, the IDF published video footage showing strikes conducted on Syria's security forces amid clashes with the Druze population in Sweida, southern Syria. Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.
Mint
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Mint
Israel Carries Out Several Airstrikes in Syria and Lebanon
Israel launched several air attacks in Syria and Lebanon in the past day, increasing tensions with its neighbors. The Israel Defense Forces struck several tanks advancing toward Suwayda province in southern Syria on Monday. On Tuesday, strikes on military vehicles intensified. Israel's government said it was acting in defense of the Druze community, a minority group the Jewish state has pledged to protect. Deadly sectarian clashes broke out in Suwayda on Sunday and Monday between Druze and Bedouin groups, with the Syrian army moving forces into the area to try to quell the violence. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he told his military to fire on the tanks because they were 'meant to serve the Syrian regime's activities against the Druze.' 'Israel is committed to preventing harm to the Druze in Syria due to the deep brotherly alliance with its own Druze citizens,' Netanyahu said in a statement with Defense Minister Israel Katz. The movement of Syrian troops into Suwayda, which runs close to Israel's border, also endangered Israel, they said. The roughly 700,000-strong Druze community in Syria has forged closer ties with Israel — which has about 150,000 Druze — since the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government in December. In Syria, they have feared a sectarian backlash from Islamist militants allied with the new administration of President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Syria's been devastated by civil war since 2011 and al-Sharaa is still trying to gain control over large swaths of the country. Israel positioned some ground forces on Syrian territory soon after al-Assad, an ally of Iran, fell. It's regularly struck Syria this year and remains wary of al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda founder. Yet in the past month Israel said it was open to a peace deal with Damascus, something that seemed to be given impetus by US President Donald Trump ending sanctions on the Syrian government. It remains unclear if al-Sharaa's officials will scupper the chances of the two countries forging diplomatic relations for the first time. Syria condemned Israeli airstrikes carried out Tuesday morning, saying the attacks killed an unidentified number of state troops and civilians. The war-torn country holds Israel fully responsible for this 'aggression and its consequences,' the Syrian foreign ministry said in a statement. It also holds the 'right to defend its land and people by all means' pursuant to international law. In Lebanon, the IDF carried out 'numerous strikes' against Hezbollah in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley on Tuesday morning, saying it targeted training compounds used by the Iran-backed militant group's elite Radwan Force for operations against Israel. The IDF said the Radwan was trying to rebuild its capabilities after being severely weakened in a war with Israel between September and November last year. Israel has regularly struck southern Lebanon and even the eastern Bekaa Valley since a ceasefire in November. Still, these latest attacks appeared bigger than normal. Since Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the Jewish state has fought wars against other Iran-backed militias and Iran itself. It's changed its military doctrine to prevent another Oct. 7-style attack, including building troop positions beyond its borders and acting more quickly when it perceives threats. The violence in Suwayda, where the Druze are concentrated, killed about 100 people in the past few days, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. It said Druze battled with tribal fighters as well as state military and police forces. A spokesman for Syria's defense ministry said 18 soldiers were killed. In May, Israel struck a target near the presidential palace in Damascus after the Druze community called for international help following a series of clashes with Syrian forces. After that strike, Netanyahu said he would not allow any threat to the Druze, an ethnically Arab group whose faith is an offshoot of Islam. Sharaa, whose Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham group led an Islamist uprising against Assad, has been trying to prevent violence that flared up in Syria a few months after the downfall of his predecessor. He has been seeking to disarm the country's myriad militias or get them to join the national army. In March, armed men the government said were affiliated with the ousted regime attacked security sites near Syria's Mediterranean coast. That stirred up violence against the Muslim Alawite minority, to which Assad belongs. Three months later, a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a church in eastern Damascus, killing 22. With assistance from Dan Williams, Omar Tamo and Carla Canivete. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
