The IDF announced on Monday that soldiers from the Paratroopers, Commando, and Givati Brigades, under the command of the 98th Division, have surrounded the Shi'ite town of Bint Jbeil and taken control of its famous soccer stadium, where the late-Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, delivered his "Spider Web" address in 2000.
The stadium, which over the years has become a symbol of Hezbollah's victory over Israel after the IDF's withdrawal from southern Lebanon, was destroyed over the past few days during the battles.
The "Spider Web" address, in which Nasrallah claimed that Israel was weaker than a spider web despite its nuclear weapons, shaped Hezbollah’s worldview for a generation.
Nasrallah said in the speech that "Israel has nuclear weapons and the most powerful air force in the region, but in truth, it is weaker than a spider web."
The commander of the 98th Division, Brigadier General Guy Levi, sent a message to his troops that connected past and present: "Bint Jbeil 2000 - someone here made a speech and bragged about spider webs. Today, that man does not exist, the stadium doesn't either, and his words are worthless. Bint Jbeil 2026 - our forces control the area, are destroying terror infrastructure and dozens of terrorists."
IDF Arabic-Language Spokesman Avichay Adraee wrote on X: "Glory is not built with speeches, but with the impact of soldiers' footsteps. Controlling the Bint Jbeil stadium is not merely a military achievement, but a shattering of the symbolism of arrogance. From those who threatened us with weakness, their fortresses have crumbled before our steadfastness."
He added, "Where they thought we were weaker than a spider's web, we stand today to show the world the truth. The Defense Army turns the page on illusions in its very heartland. The word is ours, and the action is ours."
The takeover of the stadium and the town is the culmination of an intense week of fighting. The combat teams of the Paratrooper, Commando, and Givati brigades tightened the siege on the strategic stronghold and launched a broad offensive to eliminate threats.
The troops struck and eliminated more than 100 Hezbollah terrorist operatives, both in close-quarters combat and through aerial strikes, dismantled dozens of terrorist infrastructure sites, and located hundreds of weapons in the area, including weapons located in and around civilian infrastructure.