• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

fighting the war as if there are no negotiations, and
negotiating as if there is no war
Avi Melamed

It is dangerous to be found in the company of God's enemies

Operation Northern Arrows - Late October 2024

The IDF began reconnaissance operations with fire to uncover Hezbollah positions on the border, but these attempts failed after it was surprised by the extent of the party’s readiness and the strength of its defensive positioning, which resulted in direct hits on reconnaissance units with fire and deaths and injuries as a result of ambushes.

The IDF developed its operations and began working on its tactics towards occupying controlling and dominant heights close to the borders, revealing paths and roads, to secure the passage and flow of the main attack formations. What was happening in the eastern sector was related to the positioning of the 98th Division , which was deployed around Adaisseh, Rab Thalatheen, Kfar Kela and Markaba. He explained that this division plays a major role in the operations because it was the strongest, and because this axis was the shortest to reach the Litani River .

But the road to the Litani passes through a major obstacle, which was Wadi al-Hujayr, which had previous bitter experiences with the Israelis. He stressed that the Israeli operations focus on occupying the high hills overlooking the valley. The IDF may not enter the valley directly, but rather seek to control it by occupying the high hills overlooking the Litani River with the aim of controlling the area through control by fire.

Southern Lebanon was divided into 3 main sectors, all of which witnessed military battles and Israeli attempts to advance, as follows:

1. Western Sector: Extends from the coast in Naqoura to Ramya, and includes the villages of Yarin, Dahra, Marouhin, and Alma al-Shaab. This axis, especially Ramya, was known for being always hot.
2. The central sector: It starts from Aita al-Shaab and extends to Aitaroun, and includes the villages of Aita al-Shaab, Rmeish, Yaroun, and Aitaroun to Bint Jbeil . It witnesses continuous clashes and attempts to breach.
3. The Eastern Sector: extends from Mays al-Jabal to Shebaa, and includes the villages of Houla, Markaba, Adaisseh, Kfar Kila, Marjeyoun, Kfar Shouba, and Shebaa. Here the main efforts of the Israeli offensive are concentrated, with the "98th Division" leading its attacks towards Markaba and Rab Thalathin, reaching the Litani area.

In each sector, the IDF was trying to advance; in the west, the attempts are concentrated around the Ramya-Aita al-Shaab axis (Aita al-Shaab was in the central sector, but there are attempts to advance between them). In the center, the advance revolves around the axis between Maroun al-Ras and Yaroun, while the eastern - the main axis - was witnessing decisive fighting on Markaba, Rab Thalatheen, Taybeh and Adaisseh. The IDF seeks to turn the front edge into scorched earth with the aim of removing Hezbollah elements and destroying infrastructure, tunnels and observation posts as a prelude to establishing a buffer zone. It may be satisfied with controlling it with fire by positioning itself on the heights overlooking it.

Possibly the main breakthrough that Israel seeks in the eastern sector, while the other directions remain of secondary importance, i.e. the use of indirect weapons more than engagement, and the use of artillery, aircraft, and shelling by the Israeli Navy after engaging it more than engagement, and therefore the sounds of shells are heard more than clashes with weapons.

In the central sector, the IDF, after days of operations, developed its tactics to carry out penetrations aimed at occupying the heights near the border that allow control of the roads and paths, in order to secure the passage of the main forces and their flow for the attack. Regarding the western sector, the IDF faced fierce resistance from Hezbollah, which was pushing it to adopt tactics that rely on rapid movement and changing attack routes. This happened in areas such as Aita al-Shaab, where the IDF move between Mays al-Jabal and Blida to distract Hezbollah’s defensive efforts and confuse it, while in areas such as Aita al-Shaab and Ramia, they rely more on indirect shelling using aircraft, artillery and naval shelling, rather than direct engagement.

Hezbollah retained the Radwan unit's fighters for defensive missions and it still operates within formations like any organized army. Hezbollah fighters near the border are carrying out organized operations and have not dispersed to work in independent guerrilla combat.

Julian E. Barnes and Michael Crowley reported 30 September 2024 that American officials believed they had persuaded Israel not to conduct a major ground invasion of southern Lebanon, but believed Israel was planning only smaller, targeted incursions into southern Lebanon. When Israel sent troops across the border on 01 October 2024, officials estimated military operations would last for a few weeks. Hezbollah fighters had killed over 70 Israeli troops in southern Lebanon and wounded more than 600, the group’s Operations Room said in a statement on 23 October. On 25 October 2024, at least 10 Israeli soldiers were killed in attacks in the past 24 hours with dozens more wounded. By late October Hezbollah was holding its own in the south, with Israeli forces advancing no more than four or five kilometers into Lebanon at their farthest point.

On 19 October 2024, the IDF announced that 3 drones targeted the home of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Caesarea, causing damage to a window and the courtyard of his residence. The operation was considered the most important in the attempted assassination of a high-ranking Israeli official. After several days of silence, Hezbollah announced 23 October 2024, through its media relations officer, Muhammad Afif, its responsibility for the Caesarea operation, which targeted the home of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a drone, as part of a new escalation in the confrontation between the party and Israel. Afif explained that the party was able to fully restore the military and logistical support lines, pointing out that its fighters succeeded in "inflicting heavy losses in lives and equipment on the Israeli occupation army," while continuing attacks on military sites. He also acknowledged that there were a number of party fighters in Israeli captivity, calling on the International Red Cross to verify their safety.

The IDF issued evacuation orders 20 October 2024 for three more sites in southern Lebanon, raising the total to 22 locations. The Israeli military will launch attacks against the economic facilities of Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah in Beirut and elsewhere in Lebanon in the coming hours and called on Lebanese citizens to stay away from targeted sites, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari has said. "In a few minutes, we will send out warnings to Lebanese residents in Beirut and elsewhere to stay away from sites used to finance Hezbollah... We will strike a large number of targets in the coming hours and additional targets throughout the night," Hagari told reporters.

On 21 October 2024 the branches of Hezbollah's Karz-i Hasan institution (interest-free solidarity) in the south of Beirut were targeted, and it was reported that one of the Israeli airstrikes was carried out on the Karz-i Hasan branch near the Rafik Hariri International Airport. It was emphasized in the news that Israeli warplanes also targeted branches of the Karz-i Hasan institution in the southern province of Nabatiye and the eastern Bekaa region. The Israeli army spokesman said the Al-Kart Al-Hasan association participates in the financing of the terrorist activities carried out by the Hezbollah organization against Israel.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged 25 October 2024 to work with “real urgency” for a diplomatic resolution to end Israel’s offensive in Lebanon but said it was first critical to reach understandings on disarmament of Hezbollah. Meeting Lebanon’s caretaker PM Najib Mikati in London, Blinken also pleaded for protection of civilians but stopped short of urging an immediate ceasefire by Israel, which relies on US diplomatic and military support. “We have a sense of real urgency in getting to a diplomatic resolution and the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, such that there can be real security along the border between Israel and Lebanon,” Blinken told reporters, saying he was “intensely engaged”. Resolution 1701, approved in 2006 after an earlier war, calls for the disarmament of non-state groups in Lebanon – an allusion to the Hezbollah group, which effectively runs its own armed forces – and for a full Israeli withdrawal from the country.

The army estimated 23 October 2024 that the organization was severely damaged as part of the "Northern Arrows" operation in which its senior members were eliminated, led by Nasrallah. 1,200 terrorists were eliminated as part of the ground maneuver, and it was estimated that the eliminations significantly weakened the capabilities of the organization, which now operated as part of local organizations. The IDF said that Hezbollah has been severely damaged in its firepower. This, about three weeks after the beginning of the ground maneuver in southern Lebanon and following extensive Israeli attacks in the country as part of the "Northern Arrows" operation in which senior members of the terrorist organization, led by the leader Hassan Nasrallah, were eliminated. According to army estimates, Hezbollah's firepower was only 30%.

As part of the ground maneuver, IDF fighters operated in the Shia villages in southern Lebanon, where they found infrastructure that Hezbollah had built over the years in order to prepare for a raid on settlements in the Galilee and the IDF base in the north of the country. Many weapons were found above and below ground in the villages, and hundreds of terrorists were eliminated. According to the IDF, so far 1,200 Hezbollah terrorists have been eliminated as part of the ground maneuver, including seven sector commanders - a position equivalent to a brigade commander, 21 sub-sector commanders - a position equivalent to a battalion commander, and more than 25 commanders in a position equivalent to a company commander. These assassinations, the IDF says, significantly weaken Hezbollah's ability to generate effective fire against IDF forces due to the severe damage to the organization's operatives. The IDF recognizes that the clashes between IDF soldiers and activists are now characterized by local organizations and not as an organizational campaign by Hezbollah.

On the other hand, Hezbollah still possesses the ability to fire rockets and anti-tank missiles to the rear. The IDF says that wherever the ground forces maneuvered, the area was overrun, the connection between Hezbollah units between different areas was severed, and the organization lost its local operational capabilities, along with the assistance capabilities and the connection between units the organization.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority, citing senior officials in the security establishment reported 25 October 2024 the ground operation in southern Lebanon was in its final stages. The ground exercise was expected to be completed within a week or two. According to the senior officials' estimates, the ground maneuver was expected to be completed within a week, if there are no last-minute changes and in accordance with the operational and political considerations.

From a military point of view, and in accordance with the decision of the cabinet at the beginning of the ground maneuver, the IDF has made significant achievements on the contact line in the Shia villages in southern Lebanon, with the dismantling of many Hezbollah infrastructures above and below the ground. The IDF has not yet reached all the Shia villages, between Rosh called Mount Dov, but Prepared to reach them as well. Beyond the military effort, there are other considerations before the withdrawal of IDF forces from Lebanon, the main one being the political consideration. Israel has also stated in the past that any negotiations before a ceasefire with Lebanon will be done under fire and under heavy military pressure.

The Spanish newspaper "El Confidencial" highlighted Hezbollah's announcement on 17 October 2024 that it had entered a "new phase" of the conflict in its confrontation with Israel, and that it had used precision-guided missiles for the first time to target its forces. The newspaper pointed out that Hezbollah inflicted heavy losses on Israel in terms of its forces and equipment, both in terms of confrontation on the front lines and in the Israeli depth, referring to the attack that resulted in the killing of 4 Israeli soldiers in a military base in Binyamina between Haifa and Tel Aviv.

The newspaper reported that since the start of the invasion, Israel has deployed five military divisions comprising more than 70,000 soldiers and hundreds of tanks and vehicles, but Hezbollah confirmed that "hundreds of fighters" are fully prepared to repel any Israeli ground incursion into southern Lebanon. It explained that the recent days have witnessed an escalation in the pace of confrontations between Hezbollah elements and Israeli forces, which resulted in the killing of 10 Israeli soldiers and the injury of 150 others, in addition to the destruction of 9 Merkava tanks and 4 military bulldozers, according to figures published by Hezbollah.

The newspaper pointed out that Hezbollah has gradually increased its missile attacks, whether on the border or in areas inside Israel, targeting Israeli military bases using precision-guided missiles for the first time, in addition to drones that carry out reconnaissance and information-gathering missions. Hezbollah said it had shot down two Elbit Hermes 45 drones, adding that Israel's losses had risen to 55 dead and 500 wounded, in addition to the destruction of 20 Merkava tanks, 4 bulldozers, an armored vehicle, and a troop transport vehicle.

The newspaper pointed out that Hezbollah's announcement of entering a new phase of confrontation with Israel came hours after Israel announced the assassination of the leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ), Yahya Sinwar.

In a remarkable move, the operations room of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah - announced the transition to what it called "a new and escalating phase in the confrontation with the Israeli enemy" without disclosing the details, stressing that the coming days will reveal its nature. This announcement came at a critical time, coinciding with field developments, most notably the martyrdom of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza, in addition to other events that coincided with this announcement. Twenty days have passed since the start of the Israeli ground operations in southern Lebanon, and the escalation of military confrontations with Hezbollah on various fronts of engagement, which extended deep into the Israeli side, where the occupation army suffered heavy human losses.

Field confirmations of the full readiness of Hezbollah fighters to confront any Israeli ground incursion into the southern villages, as Israel deployed 5 military divisions comprising more than 70,000 officers and soldiers, in addition to hundreds of tanks and military vehicles. Naim Qassem, the deputy secretary-general of Hezbollah, announced in his speech a few days ago that the resistance had entered the phase of “hurting the enemy” and that the battlefield would decide the outcome, with the continuation of ground battles and the use of missile and air power. Diplomatic efforts to reach a serious initiative to cease fire in Lebanon continue to falter, amid Israel's insistence on moving forward with its destructive war.

Military expert Hassan Jouni believes that the statement issued by Hezbollah provides a general framework for the defensive operations it was carrying out on various levels, on land, at sea and in the air. “The statement was distinguished by its detailing of the defensive strategies and the form of the battle, including how to use military means and missiles, with reference to what has been achieved so far.” He pointed out that the battle was still on the borders, which means that there was no noticeable progress for the Israelis.

Speaking to Al Jazeera Net, he points out that the statement confirms that there have been casualties among the Israeli "enemy", whether dead or wounded, with specific numbers mentioned regarding the battles and clashes. It also highlights Hezbollah's intention to enter a new phase of escalation, which includes the possibility of using new weapons such as strategic missiles. Jouni believes that there was a possibility of targeting sensitive areas and targets of importance to Israeli national security, in the form of surprise operations, especially in unexpected directions. It was likely that these operations will also include other aspects such as naval operations, indicating that the party was preparing for new surprises.

Regarding the possibilities of development in operations, Jouni points to three main areas: the development of operational methods, improving the means used such as missiles, drones or air defense means, in addition to focusing on new and sensitive targets that affect the Israeli side. According to the military expert, the ultimate goal was to develop the deterrence equation, which means that the chances of escalation will continue, regardless of the direction events take, “and therefore, the battle was still ongoing, and Hezbollah’s vision for managing it was based on a long-term strategy, which includes a gradual use of force and the development of capabilities, which always ensures the possibility of achieving surprises.”

The head of the Middle East Center for Studies, Brigadier General Dr. Hisham Jaber, explained to Al Jazeera Net 20 October 2024 that everyone was anticipating that Hezbollah will use new weapons that have not been used yet, noting that the party has not yet resorted to using some of the weapons available to it, such as surface-to-sea missiles, ballistic missiles, and anti-aircraft missiles, considering that this "confirms that we are facing a new phase of escalation." As for the battles on the ground, Jaber stressed that military tactics will not witness radical changes, noting that Hezbollah will continue to rely on the "guerrilla warfare" method by luring the "enemy" deep inside and carrying out raids and well-planned ambushes. He added that the development of military tactics depends on the field and daily developments.

Ali Matar, a researcher in international relations and political analyst, believes that Hezbollah was proceeding in successive stages. The first stage, which followed the assassinations, focused on regaining control in the field. It began by targeting the northern settlements, all the way to Haifa , with multiple messages being sent to Israel, in addition to the powerful strike at the Binyamina base, which had a major impact on the stages of the current war and the stages of the field.

Matar told Al Jazeera Net that Hezbollah, by continuing its strategies, continues to target areas such as Safed, using drones and missiles, including special weapons such as the Qader 1 and Qader 2, in addition to some undeclared missiles. In light of this, the political analyst believes that the party was currently seeking to increase “the enemy’s pain” as it plans to target new settlements in the north and the suburbs of Tel Aviv, and may even reach the heart of Tel Aviv itself. He also adds that “the enemy was the one who started this aggression and included Lebanese regions, which makes it bear heavy costs as a result of the increasing targeting.”

In another context, Matar believes that the goals of returning the settlers will not be achieved, noting that “it is likely that we will witness the displacement of thousands of settlers from the northern areas towards Haifa.” He points out that there are about one to two million Israelis living near the shelters, with their suffering exacerbated by the repeated targeting. “Therefore, it seems that the next stage will be characterized by this image.”

Hezbollah’s death toll in the war with Israel in South Lebanon was around 1,500, according to Israeli estimates. The Israeli Defense Forces’ (IDF) chief of general staff Herz Halevi said 18 October 2024 the Islamist organization has suffered "great damage." "An entire chain of command is being wiped out," Halevi said, adding that the organization "hides its fatalities, among them dead commanders." While visiting ground troops in southern Lebanon, Halevi called the Israeli estimates "conservative" and said the country doesn’t know more about how many people were killed in its airstrikes. This comes after Hezbollah vowed to keep fighting in Lebanon’s south for as long as the war in Gaza was still going on.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a drone launched from Lebanon that targeted his residence in the central town of Caesarea on 19 October 2024 was an attempt by Hezbollah to assassinate him. Netanyahu’s office said he and his wife were not home at the time and there were no injuries. “The attempt by Iran’s proxy Hezbollah to assassinate me and my wife today was a grave mistake,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “Anyone who tries to harm Israel’s citizens will pay a heavy price,” he said in comments to Tehran and “its proxies”, which include Lebanon’s Hezbollah, a group Israel has been at war with since late September. Military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said a drone “hit a building in Caesarea, while trying to hit the prime minister”.

Hezbollah MLRS and ammunition depots were hit 16 October 2024 using Spike NLOS ATGM from the boats of one of the Israeli Navy patrol squadrons (possibly the Snapir special forces unit was involved). Previously, Spike NLOS was used from boats during the first stage of the operation in the Gaza Strip to strike the positions of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades militants in the coastal strip. The second video shows the work of the 76-mm OTO Melara Compact automatic mount of the Saar-4.5 missile boat.

Naim Qassem, Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah , gave a recorded speech on 15 October 2024 for the third time in 15 days, in which he reviewed the general outlines of the next stage and the party’s options in light of the Israeli war on Lebanon, whether through escalation or reaching an agreement. He also sent specific messages to his fighters, the Lebanese people, and the Shiite sect. This was Naim Qassem's third appearance, as he appeared for the first time three days after the assassination of former Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on September 30, to confirm the party's continued march with greater strength, and the fighters' readiness to repel the Israeli ground incursion.

Qassem said in this context, “If you want to be reassured about Hezbollah, I tell you that the party is strong, despite the harsh blows after the Pager and what happened. We have regained our field health, restored our organizational capabilities, and put in place alternatives,” noting that “the field confirms this development that has occurred.”

In this context, Sheikh Qassem continued, “The party is strong with its fighters and capabilities, strong with the cohesion of the party and the Amal Movement and this public that works together in solidarity with each other with all strength and determination, strong with the allies, the noble media, the supporting associations and the cooperative government, strong with the national unity that has been revealed and silenced the discordant voices until they are no longer able to speak, strong with the popular embrace, strong because it was founded on piety and at the hands of the great leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, may God Almighty be pleased with him.”

On the other hand, the Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah stressed that “Hezbollah has the right to target any place inside occupied Palestine in order to blame the occupation because the latter is targeting all of Lebanon,” noting that “we will choose the point that we see as appropriate. There are no longer points within the equation, because the Israelis opened this equation.” Sheikh Qassem continued, “The enemy itself helps us strike it,” asking, “How?” He explained, “We send a missile, and the anti-aircraft missiles move. The remnants of the anti-aircraft missiles land on settlements and countries. This is a blessing. Because there are now repercussions on the enemy because of the anti-aircraft missiles.”

Qassem emphasized 4 main titles:

1. Transition from the support front to the war: He explained that this transition began on September 17th after the pager bombings , followed by the assassination of Sayyed Nasrallah on the 27th of the same month, and he stressed the importance of fighting the battle until the end to achieve victory.
2. The right to target the "Zionist entity": He stressed that the party has the right to target any point inside the Israeli side after breaking the previous rules of engagement, whether in the north, center or heart, considering that all points have become open.
3. Scenario for the next stage: He discussed the possibility of war or agreement, explaining that if Israel continues the war, the bombing of settlements will expand, in a clear reference to the failure of the plan put forward by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to return the residents of the north to their homes.
4. The party’s strength despite the pressures: Qassem confirmed that the party is still strong, despite the pressures and assassinations it has been subjected to, stressing the restoration of health and the availability of alternatives, and that every leadership position has an alternative.

Qassem announced that “a week ago we decided on a new equation called the equation of hurting the enemy,” explaining that “rockets are now reaching Haifa and beyond Haifa, as our master wanted. You saw that these strikes reached Tel Aviv, and also last Sunday alone, the Israeli admitted to a hundred dead and wounded, and of course when he says a hundred dead and wounded, this definitely means more.” Qassem said, “On Monday, we were also able to deliver missiles to Tel Aviv. Two million settlers went to shelters in greater Tel Aviv, and 194 towns and settlements went to shelters. Ben Gurion Airport stopped working. This is all part of the equation of hurting the enemy, and this will continue.”

The Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah stressed that Lebanon “has entered a new phase of the battle today, as the title of Hezbollah’s battle has shifted from supporting Gaza to confronting the Israeli war on Lebanon,” stressing that “what the mujahideen have accomplished in the field during the last two weeks was greater and better than they expected, because the mission of the resistance is not to stand as a regular army preventing an army from advancing, but rather the mission of the resistance is to pursue the army and carry out operations against it wherever it enters.”

Sheikh Qassem spoke about this point, explaining that the occupation, “when it recently began its battle in Lebanon, set three stages for this battle: First, to strike the leadership and military capabilities so that we would no longer have the ability to defend ourselves and our country and confront the occupation. Second: to end the existence of Hezbollah. Third: to shape Lebanon in a way that pleases the Israelis and Americans and they can run it as they wish.” He continued, "They were not able to take the first step. It is true that we suffered and the blow of the leaders, headed by His Eminence the Secretary-General, may God Almighty be pleased with him, was great and harsh. They tried to disable the military capability and strike the capabilities and missiles in different places. But thank God they were not able to take the first step."

Qassem addressed three messages during his speech: the first to the Mujahideen, the second to the Lebanese people, and the third to the displaced people and the people of the resistance.

1. In this context, the Sheikh said to the Mujahideen, “You are the pearl of jihad and the symbol of pride and dignity. You are the hope and the harbingers of victory. ‘Fight them; Allah will punish them by your hands and disgrace them and grant you victory over them and heal the hearts of a believing people.’” He added, “You are the trust of the martyrs, the wounded, the prisoners, and the families, those who gave and sacrificed for the sake of this march. Our confidence in you is great and we are with you and behind you.”
2. To the Lebanese people, the Sheikh said, “We are in one country, we have worked throughout the previous period to build and save this country. “Israel” is the one that is disrupting all of our lives with its continuous aggression,” noting that “your humanitarian solidarity today and your national solidarity from all sects, parties and all denominations increases cohesion and helps us build our country politically together within a clear vision for friend and foe. We will be together, God willing, and no one should bet that he will invest outside this framework.”
3. As for the people of the resistance in Lebanon, he addressed them saying, “Oh our people who were displaced, harmed and sacrificed, we appreciate your sacrifices. Your sons are in the field and you are displaced. By God, you are the most honorable, greatest and noblest of people. We and you are in the same boat. What befalls you befalls us and what makes you happy makes us happy.” He continued, “We know that the sacrifice is great, but we must endure and be patient, despite today’s difficulties. If the people one day want life, then fate must respond, and the night must end, and the chains must be broken, and victory comes with patience. This requires patience.” The Sheikh addressed the displaced resistance members, saying, “I promise you a promise, a promise made by our Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan, may God Almighty be pleased with him. I promise you that you will return to your homes, which we will rebuild, and they will be more beautiful than they were. We have begun preparing the preliminaries that will help us, when we are finished and victorious, to begin work, God willing, in cooperation with all parties.”

He addressed the haters, saying, “Hezbollah will remain in the hearts of those who do not love it,” and in any case, the field is what gives the result. He believed that “when Iran supports the Palestinians in order to liberate Palestine, and it is happy with that, we are not facing an Iranian project, we are facing a Palestinian project, supported by Iran, supported by Hezbollah, supported by Yemen, supported by Iraq, supported by the free people of this region.”

The Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah revealed that foreign ambassadors were communicating with the leadership of Hezbollah to urge it to stop the support front for Gaza, adding, “They were telling us: Stop the war and support, and let the settlers return, and you must move away ten kilometers or more so that we do not provoke “Israel.” Sheikh Qassem added, “We told them to stop the shooting and things would return to normal in Lebanon and everything would go back to how it was. Their response was that they could not talk in this way and that they wanted to separate Lebanon from Gaza,” adding, “and we did not respond to them.”

Sheikh Qassem spoke, “so that those near and far will know what vision we set out from, and how we see the sequence of events,” explaining that “Israel is an expansionist occupation that is not satisfied with Palestine, it wants the entire Arab region, it wants the entire Islamic world, but rather it wants to control the world through this position in this region.”

Professor of International Relations and political analyst Ali Matar believes that the speech of the Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah was of great importance in terms of form and content. “The Sheikh seemed comfortable with the course of the battle, and was certain of the capabilities of the resistance despite the sacrifices. He showed his faith in victory, stressing that the resistance will not be defeated no matter the circumstances.” In his interview with Al Jazeera Net, Matar believed that the speech included a group of important messages, as Qassem spoke about “confronting the enemy and starting the battle of support with the Gaza Strip,” explaining the Israeli intentions and its projects supported by the American side in the entire region.

The operations room of the Islamic Resistance, the military wing of the Lebanese Hezbollah, revealed new details about the various fighting axes between the party's fighters and the Israeli occupation forces in the villages of the front edge in southern Lebanon. The operations room said in a military statement that "the Islamic Resistance continues to confront the Israeli aggression on Lebanon, and is inflicting heavy losses on the enemy army in terms of its equipment and number of officers and soldiers, along the confrontation axes at the front edge, reaching its locations deep in occupied Palestine." She stressed that the occupation army was unable to fully establish its control or completely occupy any village on the front edge of southern Lebanon.

The following are details of the fighting fronts:

1. The first axis (infiltration operations) was the operational area of the 146th Division of the IDF, and extends from Naqoura in the west to Marwahin in the east. The operations on this axis were limited to the occupation forces’ attempts to infiltrate towards the southern neighborhoods of the villages of Marouhin, Al-Dhahira, Yarin, and Alma Al-Shaab, with the aim of booby-trapping and blowing up houses for fear that they would be used by the party’s fighters.
2. Second axis (main combat axis) operations area of the 36th Division in the occupation army extends from the town of Ramya in the west to Rmeish in the east, and includes the town of Aita al-Shaab, and from the town of Rmeish to Aitaroun in the east. Last week, this axis witnessed fierce confrontations in the triangle (Aita al-Shaab - Qawzah - Ramya), during which the occupation suffered heavy losses. In the past few days, the occupation forces tried to advance towards the Abu al-Laban hill, east of the town of Aita al-Shaab, with the aim of occupying it and establishing control over the town, but Hezbollah fighters confronted them. The formations of the Israeli 36th Division are trying to advance towards the center of the town of Aitaroun from the eastern and western neighborhoods with the aim of occupying it and isolating it from its surroundings, in conjunction with attempts to advance towards the center of the towns of Maroun al-Ras and Yaroun from the southern neighborhoods of the two towns.
3. Third axis (occupation front) area of operations of the 91st Division of the IDF extends from Blida in the south to Houla in the north. The Israel forces advanced through invisible paths towards some of the eastern neighborhoods of the towns of Mays al-Jabal, Muhaibib, and Balida, where they booby-trapped some houses and blew them up. These forces are also trying to advance towards the eastern neighborhoods of the town of Houla, amid violent clashes with Hezbollah.
4. Axis IV (Infiltration Operations) area of operations of the 98th Division of the IDF, extending from Markaba in the south to the occupied Lebanese village of Ghajar in the east. On this front, Hezbollah thwarted the Israeli forces' attempts to infiltrate towards the towns of Taybeh and Adaisseh.
5. Fifth axis (occupation front) area of operations of the 210th Division of the IDF, extending from the village of Ghajar to the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms. The IDF are trying to advance in the forests of the towns of Kfar Shuba and Shebaa and control the security barriers near the border, in order to protect the border from any possible ground advance by Hezbollah.

Military expert Brigadier General Elias Hanna said 25 October 2024 that Hezbollah was not fighting in southern Lebanon as the Palestinian resistance factions are doing in the Gaza Strip , especially with the talk about the party regaining the command and control system. Hanna explained in his interview with Al Jazeera that Hezbollah does not fight in a guerrilla war similar to the resistance in Gaza, but rather fights according to what he described as “flexible defense and regressive defense.”

According to the military expert, it cannot be said that Hezbollah has regained its command and control system after the series of assassinations that targeted its senior leaders, and at the same time talk about a guerrilla war. According to Hanna, Hezbollah was fighting within a series of villages that are independent in defending themselves in the event of an Israeli encirclement.

The Israeli army was adopting the principle of "punitive and deterrent deterrence", as it intensifies its air strikes on Beirut and its southern suburbs, in addition to the Bekaa and various areas south of the Litani River. In contrast, Hezbollah relies on "cumulative deterrence" to buy time and inflict the greatest possible losses on the Israeli army in order to impose itself and move towards a political settlement. The Israeli 36th Armored Division was fighting in the town of Aita al-Shaab , which was the main center of gravity of the first line of Lebanese villages, according to Hanna, so “the Israeli army is seeking to enter it and then reach al-Qawzah, Debel, and Rmeish.” The military expert believes that the Israeli army was not able to reach the Litani River , adding that it wants to establish the principle of punitive deterrence.

Israeli warplanes launched a series of new raids 26 October 2024 on the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, after a day that witnessed a record number of Hezbollah attacks on Israel. The official Lebanese News Agency reported that the Israeli warplanes launched 3 raids on the Haret Hreik area in the southern suburbs of Beirut. The raids come after threats made by the Israeli army's Arabic-language spokesman, Avigay Adraee, via the X platform, to bomb buildings in the area, claiming that they contain Hezbollah interests. The Israeli army also continued its raids on other areas of Lebanon, including the city of Nabatieh and other towns in southern Lebanon and in the Bekaa Valley in the east.

This coincided with Hezbollah announcing for the first time since the beginning of the war that it had launched 48 attacks on cities and military sites in northern Israel, targeting gatherings of soldiers and destroying six Merkava tanks, and confirming that it had inflicted casualties on the Israeli army. Maariv newspaper said that the residents of Majd al-Krum town accuse the Israeli government of neglecting to provide the necessary fortifications and protection for the town, in light of the continued launching of rockets from southern Lebanon towards all areas of the Upper Galilee.

Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant stated 29 October 2024 that Hezbollah had lost roughly 80% of its rocket and missile capabilities since the war began, with them unable to launch large-scale barrages due to organizational disruptions, caused by the elimination of senior leaders. Israeli Armor and Mechanized-Infantry made a significant advance towards the city of Khiam in Southern Lebanon, roughly 3 miles from the Israeli border; with some of the heaviest fighting of the Israeli ground operation in Lebanon so far.

The draft for a Lebanese ceasefire agreement leaked 30 October 2024, outlining the following key points:

• Complete Halt to Hostilities: Both sides will cease all hostilities, with each retaining the right to self-defense.
• Deployment: Only UNIFIL and the Lebanese army will operate south of the Litani River.
• Hezbollah Disarmament: Lebanon was responsible for preventing Hezbollah’s rearmament, including blocking arms entry and dismantling infrastructure.
• Israeli Presence & Hezbollah Withdrawal: Israel will stay in Lebanon for 60 days while Hezbollah withdraws north of the Litani line. Israel will then assess progress.
• Conflict Resolution: If Israel was satisfied with the disarmament progress, both nations will move forward with talks to fully implement Resolution 1701 and resolve border disputes.
  Verification Mechanism:
• Monitoring by the U.S.: A U.S.-led mechanism will address violations within a reasonable timeframe.
• Consequences for Violations: Sanctions will be applied for violations.
• Israeli Military Rights: Israel may respond militarily to unaddressed violations in certain areas and will retain rights for reconnaissance flights over Lebanon.

"Today, no one with authority in Lebanon – whether in the government, parliament or most importantly Hezbollah – will declare that the two fronts, Gaza and Lebanon, aren't linked. So, even after Israel's killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, his legacy dictates Lebanon's fate and has turned every debate about an agreement into an intellectual exercise. And every visit by the American mediator is a just a repeat performance, lacking any purpose or hope" – Zvi Bar'el

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu told visiting US envoy Amos Hochstein and US Middle East adviser Brett McGurk that any ceasefire deal with Lebanon’s Hezbollah would have to guarantee Israeli security. “The prime minister specified that the main issue is not paperwork for this or that deal, but Israel’s determination and capacity to ensure the deal’s application and to prevent any threat to its security from Lebanon,” Netanyahu’s office said after the meeting took place in Jerusalem. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant also took part in the discussion, which he said in a statement focused on “security arrangements as these relate to the northern arena and Lebanon, and efforts to ensure the return of 101 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza”.

Local officials in Israel largely support continuing a ground invasion of southern Lebanon. Amos Hochstein, special adviser to US President Joe Biden on the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, has been pushing for a ceasefire deal to address the fighting with Hezbollah. “If the Israeli government will accede to an agreement that was brought by Amos Hochstein … we will not have it because for us this is rehabilitating Hezbollah again on our borders,” said Eitan Davidi, the mayor of the northern town of Margaliot, where air raid sirens sounded repeatedly. “Hezbollah is firing towards civilians and farmers and hit innocent farmers that are working in the field.”