IDF Continues Air Offensive, Prepares for Ground Operation

Thursday afternoon saw an airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs that reportedly resulted in the elimination of Hezbollah's drone unit chief Muhammad Hossein Sarur. The strike which took him out was one of dozens the Air Force made on Hezbollah targets all over Lebanon Thursday, following a barrage of 45 rockets that were fired at the coastal Israeli city of Acre early in the morning. Other Israeli cities were also targeted with rockets as efforts at a cease-fire appeared to be going nowhere. Meanwhile, the IDF was activating reserve soldiers and moving tanks and other ground units to the north in what appears to be preparations for a ground offensive.

“Your military boots will enter enemy territory, enter villages that Hezbollah has prepared as large military outposts, with underground infrastructure, staging points, and launchpads into our territory [from which Hezbollah intends] to carry out attacks on Israeli civilians,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt General Herzi Halevi told troops deployed on the border Wednesday.

In related news, Israel's Defense Ministry announced on Thursday that the US has agreed to increase defense aid by $5.2 billion, with an emphasis on developing laser-based air defense systems. The US had already committed to a $3.3 billion annual military aid package between 2019-2028, and this is a significant increase. It will allow this years allotment to reach $3.5 billion, most of which is already earmarked for wartime contingencies.

“The director-general finalized the details of the comprehensive aid package with his American counterparts, securing a multifaceted agreement to support Israel’s defense needs,” the ministry said. “This substantial investment will significantly strengthen critical systems such as Iron Dome and David’s Sling while supporting the continued development of an advanced, high-powered laser defense system currently in its later stages of development.”

“This visit underscores the strong and enduring strategic partnership between Israel and the United States and the ironclad commitment to Israel’s security, particularly in addressing regional security threats from Iran and Iranian-backed militias by ensuring Israel’s overall capabilities,” the ministry stated.

Elsewhere, fighting continued Thursday in the Gaza Strip, with IDF troops reportedly eliminating two Hamas terrorists known to have participated in the October 7th massacre in recent days.