Smoke after an Israeli strike on Zawtar Gharbieh, in the Nabatiyeh district in southern Lebanon, on May 8, 2026. (Credit: AFP)
BEIRUT — Israeli forces carried out a weeklong “secret” operation in southern Lebanon that allowed them to cross the Litani River and advance toward the Nabatieh district, the Israeli army and Israeli media said several days after, which involved heavy clashes in Deir Siryan with Hezbollah fighters.
The Israeli army said troops from the Golani Brigade crossed the river, “cleared the Litani area” and established “operational control” there.
In a statement posted on X, Arabic-language military spokesperson Avichay Adraee claimed Israeli soldiers uncovered “headquarters used by Hezbollah members and underground infrastructure containing weapons, arsenals, and launch platforms.”
Israel said its air force supported the operation by striking more than 100 “military targets,” while troops killed “dozens of Hezbollah fighters.”
Israeli army radio, GLZ, reported that the operation also involved the Egoz unit, which specializes in combat in difficult terrain. According to the report, the troops secretly crossed the Litani and advanced toward the outskirts of Zawtar Sharqieh, an area from which Hezbollah had launched rockets and mortar shells.
Zawtar Sharqieh, in the Nabatieh district, is on the north bank of the Litani River, nearly 10 kilometers west of the closest point to the southern border. Israel heavily shelled the village and neighboring Zawtar Gharbieh throughout last week.
The two villages face the occupied villages of Deir Siryan and Adsheet al-Qusair in the Marjayoun district, on the river’s south bank.
GLZ said Israeli infantry troops crossed the river aboard heavy armored personnel carriers. This demonstrated "their ability to cross the river and prepared the possibility of a future Litani crossing, if necessary," Israeli media reported.
On Monday, military sources told Israel’s Channel 12 that its army is preparing for a possible political decision to deepen the ground invasion into Lebanese territory.
After crossing the Litani, Israeli troops operated on the outskirts of Zawtar and repeatedly clashed with Hezbollah fighters at close range during the weeklong operation, according to Israeli radio reports. The reports said Hezbollah fighters wounded several Israeli soldiers and killed a military dog after emerging from a tunnel north of the Litani.
Throughout last week, dozens of Israeli airstrikes hit Zawtar Sharqieh and the Nabatieh district. Hezbollah, meanwhile, claimed near-daily attacks with exploding drones and rockets against Israeli positions in Deir Siryan, especially around “the riverbanks,” and, less frequently, Taybeh.
Israeli troops have advanced from both villages toward Zawtar in recent days. Hezbollah repeatedly claimed its attacks caused casualties among Israeli forces.
On May 4, the group said its fighters engaged Israeli troops in “close combat” as they attempted to advance from north of Deir Siryan toward Zawtar Sharqieh. Hezbollah said Israeli forces evacuated casualties by helicopter before withdrawing eastward.
The head of the Zawtar Sharqieh municipality, Mohammad Ismail, told L'Orient Today's correspondent in the South that, “We do not know whether [Israeli troops] are still in the area or if they have withdrawn,” he said.
He added, however, that the images published by the Israeli army appear to have been taken along the river near the village, around the “Khallet Raj” area, about two kilometers from the village. Several chalets normally used by residents during the summer have been built along the riverbed in the valley.
According to Ismail, Zawtar has been targeted by “more than 70 destructive Israeli airstrikes” since May 3. Before the renewed outbreak of war on March 2, Israel had destroyed around 20% of the village, he said, but satellite images he reviewed now indicate the figure has risen to 45%.
He said he had hoped residents would return after the cease-fire, but Israel's daily post-truce strikes thwarted efforts to encourage people to come back and restore water and electricity services.
Zawtar Sharqieh normally has about 4,000 residents, but the village now stands completely deserted, he said. “Even ambulances can no longer access it,” he said, adding that Israel has killed 30 residents and destroyed 300 housing units.
Israeli forces continue to destroy homes, neighborhoods, and infrastructure in villages inside the “buffer zone” they have established de facto in south Lebanon. Hezbollah continues to target the area with regular attacks, notably using exploding drones.
Daily Israeli bombardments also continue across southern Lebanon, reaching the heights of the Jezzine district and the Bekaa Valley. Over the weekend, Israeli strikes also killed several people in targeted attacks in the Chouf, about 20 kilometers south of Beirut.
