Monday, March, 16 2026 - The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says it has begun “limited and targeted ground operations” in southern Lebanon as clashes with Hezbollah intensify around the strategic town of Khiam.
According to the Israeli military, troops from the 91st
Division have moved into areas near the border in recent days to strike
Hezbollah positions and infrastructure. The army said the operations are aimed
at strengthening Israel’s forward defensive line and preventing further attacks
from across the border.
Reports from the region say at least three air strikes hit
Khiam on Monday. Additional Israeli raids were also reported in several nearby
towns in southern Lebanon, including Yater, Burj Qalawiya, Sultaniya, Chaqra,
Qantara and as-Sawana. There were no immediate reports of casualties from some
of the strikes.
“In recent days, IDF troops from the 91st division have begun
limited and targeted ground operations against key Hezbollah strongholds in
southern Lebanon,” the military said in a statement. It added that the campaign
includes destroying militant infrastructure and eliminating fighters operating
near the border.
Khiam, considered a Hezbollah stronghold, sits on elevated
terrain just a few kilometres from the Israeli border and near the Litani
River. Its position gives it a commanding view over northern Israel and
surrounding Lebanese areas, making it strategically important in the ongoing
fighting.
The latest escalation comes amid a broader regional crisis
that erupted after the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. In
response, Hezbollah launched rocket attacks toward Israel, opening a new front
in the conflict. The group had largely refrained from attacking Israel since a
2024 ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States.
Military analysts say Israel’s operations appear aimed at
cutting off Hezbollah’s supply routes and limiting its ability to move weapons
and fighters into areas south of the Litani River. Some of the roads around
Khiam connect key routes leading to eastern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, where
Hezbollah maintains a strong presence.
The intensifying conflict has triggered a major humanitarian
crisis. More than 800,000 people have reportedly fled their homes in southern
Lebanon after the Israeli military issued evacuation orders covering large
parts of the region and sections of the capital, Beirut.
Israeli strikes across Lebanon have killed at least 850
people so far, including more than 100 children and dozens of women, according
to reports, as fears grow that the fighting could expand further across the
Middle East.
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