The Israel Defense Forces said Tuesday it had deployed troops deeper into southern Lebanon, beyond the five posts it currently holds, “as part of an enhanced forward defense posture” amid attacks by the Hezbollah terror group. The move follows a series of rocket and drone strikes launched by Iran-backed Hezbollah in response to Israel’s killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, earlier this week.

Expanded Operations and Security Measures

The expanded deployment comes after Hezbollah began launching rockets and drones at northern Israel early Monday. In response, Israel has conducted an intensive bombing campaign, with the terror group continuing to fire rockets and drones overnight and on Tuesday morning. Defense Minister Israel Katz said the move was authorized by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “prevent the possibility of direct fire at Israeli communities.”

“The IDF continues to operate forcefully against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The terrorist organization is paying and will pay a heavy price for firing at Israel,” Katz said in a statement. Soldiers from the 91st “Galilee” Regional Division were positioned at several points near the border as part of the enhanced forward defense posture, the army stated.

The IDF said it was working to create an additional layer of security for residents of northern Israel. IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin confirmed at a press conference that the Northern Command had moved forward, taken control of dominating terrain, and was creating a buffer between Israeli residents and any potential threat.

Lebanese Military Response and Civilian Evacuations

In response to the IDF’s expanded operations, the Lebanese army redeployed soldiers from several recently established border positions on Tuesday, citing concerns for their safety. The troops, numbering eight to nine soldiers at each point, were moved back to their bases, according to a military source.

Overnight and on Tuesday morning, the Israeli Air Force conducted an “extensive” wave of strikes against Hezbollah military assets in Beirut, targeting weapons depots, command centers, and satellite communications equipment. The IDF said the strikes hit communication sites used by Hezbollah for terror activities, intelligence collection, and propaganda.

Among the targets were the studios of Hezbollah-owned TV news channel Al-Manar and radio station Al-Nour, according to Lebanese media. The IDF issued evacuation warnings for the buildings to mitigate harm to civilians, it said.

Additionally, the IDF reported striking over 160 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon over the past day, including members of the group and its elite Radwan Force, as well as command centers used to plan attacks on Israel. Lebanese media reported fresh strikes in south Lebanon on Tuesday afternoon, with the IDF warning dozens of villages in the area to evacuate.

Key Figure Killed in Israeli Strike

The IDF announced that a previous Israeli Navy strike in Beirut on Monday had killed Reza Khazaei, a top member of Iran’s Islamic Major Guard Corps’ extraterritorial Quds Force who worked closely with Hezbollah. Khazaei was described as the chief of staff at the Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps and played a key role in helping Hezbollah rebuild its offensive capabilities after the 2023-2024 war with Israel.

“As part of his role, Khazaei served as the right-hand man of the corps commander and was considered a key figure in Hezbollah’s force buildup,” the IDF said. He was responsible for liaising between Hezbollah and Iran, according to the military.

Hezbollah fired more than a dozen rockets and several drones at Israel on Tuesday, with one person lightly injured by a rocket impact in the Galilee Panhandle. Medics reported that a 64-year-old man was taken to a hospital after being hit by glass shards, while three others were treated for acute anxiety. Some rockets were intercepted by air defenses, while others were allowed to hit open areas, according to protocol.

Several drones launched by Hezbollah were also shot down, the military said. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for launching drones at Israel overnight, targeting an Israeli air traffic control base on Mount Meron and the Ramat David Airbase. It also claimed to have fired rockets at an IDF base in the Golan Heights in the early morning.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun emphasized that Beirut’s decision to ban Hezbollah’s military activity is “a sovereign and final decision,” following the declaration by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam that the group’s attacks on Israel were “illegal acts.” Aoun told the Quintet Committee, composed of representatives from the United States, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt, that the Council of Ministers had entrusted the army and security forces with implementing the decision across all Lebanese regions.

Despite these statements, it remains unclear what concrete actions Lebanon has taken to rein in Hezbollah’s attacks. The situation continues to escalate, with both sides showing no signs of de-escalation.