Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon have escalated, with 100 Hezbollah operatives killed in airstrikes and ground combat in the past day, according to Israeli assessments on October 4. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) issued urgent evacuation warnings to civilians in 37 villages along the border, advising them to move north of the Awali River. The military stated that Hezbollah’s operations have forced Israel to act, but it emphasised efforts to minimise civilian casualties during airstrikes targeting Hezbollah’s weapons facilities. Lebanon’s health ministry reported that 37 people were killed in Israeli strikes the previous day.Additionally, the IDF claimed to have conducted airstrikes on 15 Hezbollah sites in Beirut, hitting weapon depots and critical infrastructure. Tensions intensified after Hezbollah allegedly used the Masnaa civilian border crossing to smuggle Iranian weapons into Lebanon. In response, Israeli airstrikes created a large crater, cutting off the main road to Syria. The IDF also claimed to have killed several key Hezbollah commanders, including the head of its communications unit and a precision-guided missile expert. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi vowed to continue targeting Hezbollah positions across Lebanon to prevent the group from re-establishing its strongholds.
