'Israeli forces crossed the Litani River and are operating across Beirut, striking Hezbollah,' Netanyahu declares
Visiting troops on the northern front, the Prime Minister said IDF units have crossed Lebanon's Litani River and are operating across Beirut and the Bekaa Valley, inflicting heavy losses on Hezbollah
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operations in Lebanon are continuing to advance, claiming that Hezbollah is sustaining significant losses as fighting intensifies along the northern front.
Netanyahu made the remarks during a visit to the IDF’s 36th Division, which is currently deployed in northern Israel. He was accompanied by Defense Minister Israel Katz and Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai, and received operational briefings from senior military commanders on the ongoing campaign in Lebanon.
Speaking to troops, Netanyahu said Israeli forces were achieving “very impressive results” in their operations.
“Our forces have crossed the Litani and advanced into the controlled areas,” Netanyahu said. “We are also operating in Beirut, in the Bekaa Valley, and along the entire front, where we are striking Hezbollah head-on.”
The prime minister added that battlefield reports from commanders indicate continued tactical gains. “The brigade commanders and soldiers tell me that with each contact, each clash, we eliminate Hezbollah terrorists and push them back,” he said.
Netanyahu also praised the performance of Israeli troops, highlighting what he described as their “exceptional fighting spirit” in ongoing operations in the north.
The visit comes amid an escalation in Israeli ground and air operations against Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. The IDF has said in recent days that it has targeted senior commanders and infrastructure linked to the group, claiming significant damage to its military capabilities.
At the same time, diplomatic efforts continue internationally regarding potential regional arrangements involving Iran and Lebanon. Israeli officials, however, have repeatedly emphasized that military operations will continue until they assess that the threat to northern Israel has been sufficiently neutralized.
“Continue successfully, until the end,” Netanyahu told the soldiers during the visit.