The IDF claimed earlier today that Hezbollah continues to operate in southern Lebanon despite the obligations of the Lebanese Army to remove them.
"Under the 2024 understandings, which guided Israeli and Lebanese actions until Operation Roaring Lion, the Lebanese Army was responsible for acting against the presence of weapons and military infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization in southern Lebanon. However, this responsibility was not fulfilled as required, allowing Hezbollah to continue entrenching itself, arming itself, and building military infrastructure in the area. Even during the Lebanese Army’s 2025 Operation Homeland Shield, a significant gap remained between statements and the reality on the ground, and the operation did not dismantle the terrorist organization’s military capabilities or prevent it from continuing its activities and buildup," the IDF stated.
"In December 2025, a military asset in the Kfarra area of southern Lebanon, which Hezbollah had used to store weapons, was referred to the Lebanese Army for handling through the U.S.-led monitoring mechanism. The Lebanese Army subsequently stated that the asset had been addressed. Several months after this statement, it was discovered that Hezbollah had continued operating at the site and had even independently removed weapons and military equipment to preserve them as part of the terrorist organization’s capabilities. Several months after the Lebanese Army had already declared that it had addressed the asset, Hezbollah was still able to use it for its own purposes."
The IDF accompanied the statement with footage showing Hezbollah operatives loading weapons stored at the site onto a truck in an attempt to remove them and preserve them as part of the terrorist organization’s capabilities.
"After the activity was identified, IDF troops struck the truck carrying the weapons removed from the site. The footage indicates that, after the site was reported as having been addressed, Hezbollah activity was identified there in an attempt to remove and preserve weapons and military equipment."
"The Intelligence Directorate has identified instances in which elements within the Lebanese Army coordinated with Hezbollah regarding enforcement activities. This coordination assisted efforts to prevent, delay, or thwart enforcement operations and enabled Hezbollah to prepare in advance to remove and transfer weapons from the area. The Lebanese Army is responsible for ensuring the full and thorough implementation of all tasks assigned to it."
"The IDF emphasizes that it expects the Lebanese Army to act more decisively and effectively to fulfill its responsibilities and prevent the presence of weapons and military infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization in southern Lebanon. The IDF and the Intelligence Directorate, continue to monitor Hezbollah’s attempts to rebuild and strengthen its capabilities and will not allow any violation that poses a threat to the State of Israel and its civilians."
"The Hezbollah terrorist organization dragged Lebanon and its residents into a war in service of Iran during Operation Roaring Lion, launching thousands of rockets, including from areas south of the Litani River, where no armed elements, assets, or weapons belonging to anyone other than the Lebanese government or UNIFIL should be present."