In recent days, forces from the Givati Brigade combat team, operating under the command of the IDF’s 36th Division, launched an operation to establish operational control and clear the areas of the villages of Zawtar al-Sharqiya and Zawtar al-Gharbiya in southern Lebanon.
The operation was conducted as part of the division's broader effort to strengthen operational control in the region and to remove the direct threat to the Galilee Panhandle and the town of Metula. The forces crossed the Litani River and are carrying out targeted raids against various terrorist infrastructures in the area.
During the operation, the soldiers located and destroyed weapons and eliminated terrorists operating in the villages. According to the report, approximately 20 terrorists have been killed so far, and hundreds of weapons and military items hidden inside civilian homes have been discovered.
According to the IDF, the Givati Brigade's ground operation has been supported by extensive air support. More than 100 Israeli Air Force strikes have reportedly been carried out in support of the troops on the ground.
The IDF released footage showing the destruction of terrorist infrastructure by the Air Force, as well as a weapons depot discovered by forces in the field.
Givati Brigade Commander Colonel Netanel Shmaka said that during the advance, the troops encountered large quantities of weapons and launchers.
“As we move along the river or climb the ridge, we identify numerous launchers and weapons around us, while indirect fire is being launched above us. At moments like these, I think to myself how important it is that we are here and what all of this means."
According to Shmaka, the first phase of the operation involved preparing crossing points over the Litani River. Afterward, the forces crossed the river, cleared the villages, and destroyed Hezbollah infrastructure and positions.
“We quickly moved to the other bank and immediately secured the area, including clearing the villages and destroying the infrastructure within them," he said.
Referring to the capture of the Beaufort Castle ridge, the commander said:
“Standing there, on the summit of the ridge, alongside all the forces that took part, brought mixed emotions. Looking back at the northern communities we are protecting, while also remembering and thinking about those soldiers who fell heroically on the way there."
Colonel Shmaka added that the Givati Brigade had spent months preparing for the transition from the Gaza sector to combat operations in Lebanon.
“We did not give up a single training session, exercise, or preparation for the new terrain. We studied the nature of the enemy and the combat we would encounter, practiced accordingly, and deeply integrated those changes throughout the entire brigade."
