In recent operations along the Lebanese border, the IDF’s 98th Division has been engaged in intense combat against Hezbollah forces. The division, which previously fought Hamas in Gaza, describes Hezbollah as a different, but not necessarily stronger, adversary. While Hezbollah operates with more organization and better weaponry compared to Hamas, it largely conducts its operations above ground, unlike the tunnel-based tactics seen in Gaza.
Hezbollah’s more sophisticated fortifications and advanced weaponry present a challenge, but the IDF division maintains it holds a strategic advantage, having successfully conducted several key operations.
During last week’s confrontations, six members of the Egoz Commando Unit tragically lost their lives in a fierce battle with Hezbollah fighters, and three paratroopers were killed in separate incidents. Despite these losses, the division continues to report significant successes.
The IDF has confirmed that the 98th Division, comprising elite commando and paratrooper units alongside the 7th Armored Brigade and the Yahalom combat engineering unit, has eliminated over 200 Hezbollah operatives in multiple southern Lebanese villages. Since ground operations commenced on September 30, these forces were the first to penetrate Lebanese territory. They have also uncovered and neutralized hundreds of weapons caches and destroyed key Hezbollah tunnels and fortifications intended for attacks on northern Israel.
In total, the division has deployed over 100 tons of explosives to dismantle Hezbollah’s infrastructure, both above and below ground, further weakening the terror group’s ability to launch future assaults.