JERUSALEM — The Israel Defense Forces struck more than 12,500 Hezbollah terrorist sites in Lebanon during the nearly 14-month war that began Oct. 8, 2023.
The terrorist assets destroyed include 1,600 command and control centers and 1,000 weapons storage facilities.
The IDF also confirmed killing some 2,500 Hezbollah terrorists.
According to a joint assessment by Israel’s Channel 12 and the Institute for National Security Studies, the fatalities include at least 11 brigade-level commanders, 37 battalion commanders and 46 company commanders.
The figure is more than 10 times the number of Hezbollah terrorists killed during the 2006 Second Lebanon War.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry, which counts Hezbollah terrorists as victims, reports 3,823 killed and 15,895 injured during the conflict.
Hezbollah’s chain of command was devastated, as highlighted by the Sept. 27 targeted killing of Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut. Other high-ranking officials killed include Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah’s successor; Radwan Force commanders Ibrahim Aqil and Wisam al-Tuwail; Ali Karaki, commander of the Southern Front; and Fuad Shukr, the terrorist group’s chief of staff.
Some 80% of Hezbollah’s stockpile of 150,000 to 200,000 rockets and 70% of its drone arsenal were destroyed during the war.
Hezbollah launched some 16,000 rockets, missiles and drones at Israel during the war.
Nearly 60,000 residents of northern Israel have been internally displaced due to the cross-border attacks from Lebanon.
During “Operation Northern Arrows,” 45 Israeli civilians and 79 IDF soldiers were killed, according to recent data from the Alma Research and Education Center.
Israeli authorities estimate property damage to exceed $273 million, according to Reuters. Channel 12 and INSS reported that according to World Bank estimates, Lebanon suffered $8.5 billion in damages and economic losses during the war — $3.4 billion in physical infrastructure damage and $5.1 billion economic losses.
An analysis of satellite data by the Washington Post in early November revealed that nearly a quarter of the buildings in 25 Lebanese towns and villages near the Israeli border were damaged or destroyed.
At least 5,868 buildings were affected, with almost half located in the heavily impacted areas of Aita al-Shaab and Kafr Kila.
Approximately 80% of the damage occurred after Oct. 2, 2024, coinciding with Israel’s ground offensive.
The war displaced 1.2 million people in Lebanon, primarily from Southern Lebanon and the Dahieh district south of Beirut. Many sought refuge in Christian strongholds like Beirut and Mount Lebanon.
The Israeli Air Force struck Hezbollah terrorist assets across Lebanon on Monday night, Dec. 2, in response to the Iranian proxy’s firing of two mortar shells across the border hours earlier in violation of the Nov. 27 ceasefire.
Among the targets of the strikes was the launcher used in the Har Dov attacks, in the area of Berghoz in Southern Lebanon. Dozens of other launchers were also hit, along with Hezbollah terrorists and infrastructure, according to the IDF.
“Hezbollah’s launches tonight constitute a violation of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon. The State of Israel demands that the relevant parties in Lebanon fulfill their responsibilities and prevent Hezbollah’s hostile activity from within Lebanese territory. The State of Israel remains obligated to the fulfillment of the conditions of the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon,” the IDF said.
“The IDF is prepared to continue operating wherever necessary and will continue to operate to defend Israeli civilians,” the statement concluded.
The Iranian-backed terrorist organization took responsibility for the Mount Dov attack, claiming it had fired at an Israeli military outpost “as a warning.” The mortar shells impacted in open territory, causing no injuries or damage.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated following the attack that, “We promised to respond to any violation of the ceasefire by Hezbollah — and that is exactly what we will do. Hezbollah’s firing at the IDF post on Mount Dov will be met with a harsh response.”
“What was will no longer be,” he added.
Also on Monday night, a drone “launched from the east” was intercepted by an Israeli Navy missile ship in the Red Sea area before crossing into Israeli territory, the military said, publishing a video of the interception.
IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told Sky News Arabia on Monday that Jerusalem remains committed to the ceasefire terms.
“UNIFIL forces and the Lebanese government must fulfill their roles — this is also in their interest.
“We need this period to ensure there are no terror bases there,” he said, emphasizing that the Lebanese people and government must ensure that “Beirut and Southern Lebanon are free of weapons — not in homes, not in yards and not in children’s rooms.”
On Nov. 30, IAF jets attacked terrorist infrastructure along the Syria-Lebanon border that Hezbollah was “actively using” to smuggle arms, the IDFsaid. Israel said that the arms transfer was a violation of the ceasefire terms.
