<p>The Israel Defence Forces on Friday said that it has “eliminated” over 2000 military targets and killed 250 Hezbollah “terrorists” over the last four days since it began its ground offensive in southern Lebanon.</p>
<p>”Over 2,000 military targets have been struck,” including militants, military buildings, weapons and more, the Israeli military said in a statement. </p>
<p>IDF also stated that the Israeli Air Force is conducting “preemptive strikes” during these “intelligence-based” operations in southern Lebanon.</p>
<p>The 250 Hezbollah fighters killed since Monday include at least 21 field commanders, five battalion commanders, 10 company commanders, and six platoon commanders, according to the IDF.</p>
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<p dir=”ltr” lang=”en”>⭕️ Over the last 4 days, the IDF has eliminated 2,000+ military targets and 250 Hezbollah terrorists. Among them: <br />- 5 battalion commanders<br />- 10 company commanders<br />- 6 platoon commanders<br /><br />The Israeli Air Force is also conducting preemptive strikes during these… <a href=”https://t.co/VLvcuefOTX”>pic.twitter.com/VLvcuefOTX</a></p>
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) <a href=”https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1842205945159463324?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>October 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>IDF has described Israel’s ground operations in southern Lebanon as “limited, localised, and targeted raids,” aimed at demolishing Hezbollah’s infrastructure in the border area, particularly in the villages adjacent to Israel, to enable Israeli residents of the north to return to their homes, The Times of Israel reported.</p>
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<p>The 98th and 36th divisions of the IDF are currently carrying out ground operations in various Lebanese villages near the Israeli border, where Israel claims to have found a large amount of weapons and infrastructure that left behind by Hezbollah.</p>
<p>Following IDF’s evacuation warnings, more than half a million Lebanese civilians have fled southern Lebanon, the report said, citing military assessments.</p>
<p>In an operation on Thursday, Israeli paratroopers killed around15 Hezbollah operatives, spotted in buildings and tunnel shafts in a southern Lebanon village. Only one Israeli soldier was reportedly wounded in the engagement.</p>
<p>Israel has been carrying out the ground operations simultaneously with the strikes on the Hezbollah’s top commanders and weapon shipments from Iran in the capital of Beirut.</p>
<p>Earlier today, IDF said that it had killed the Commander of Hezbollah’s Communications Unit, Mohammad Rashid Sakafi, in a “precise, intelligence-based strike in Beirut” on Thursday. </p>
<p>In another major development on Friday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a rare sermon that the Iranian missile attack on Israel on Tuesday was the “least punishment.” He added that Iran will attack Israel again “if need be” and will not back down.</p>
<p>Israel had targeted a potential successor to Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, Hashe Safieddine, in a overnight strike in Beirut. It remains unclear if he was killed.</p>
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