Hezbollah’s Elite Soldiers Return to Fight Israeli Forces in Southern Lebanon

In a fresh move, Hezbollah has sent its top fighters back to the border zone of southern Lebanon, where they had previously withdrawn after last year’s conflict. Sources close to the group say these seasoned troops were ordered to confront Israeli tanks and block further advances, citing Khiyam as a key example of the fighting that has intensified. Hezbollah, formed in 1982 with support from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, re-entered the war last Monday to retaliate for the death of Iran’s supreme leader in a U. S. -Israeli strike on Tehran. Since then, Israel has launched heavy attacks across southern Lebanon and moved additional troops into the frontier, demanding that Lebanese civilians leave a stretch of land near the border. During a televised address, Hezbollah’s leader Naim Qassem described the Israeli strategy as “occupation and expansion, ” framing the group’s actions as a defense of its existence.The elite fighters were stationed north of the Litani River after a U. S. -brokered ceasefire pulled them from that area. While the exact number of deployed forces remains unclear, Hezbollah has claimed several attacks on Israeli tanks and launched rockets and drones toward Israel in recent days. An Israeli spokesperson noted that two soldiers were wounded by anti‑tank fire, the first injuries since hostilities began. Israel has increased its troop presence deeper into Lebanon to deter attacks on northern Israeli communities, while Hezbollah continues to target Israeli positions. The 2024 war claimed about 5, 000 Hezbollah fighters, many from the Radwan unit, and left the group significantly weakened. Israel has conducted almost daily strikes against Hezbollah targets since then, including a December raid on what it described as a Radwan training site. Following the truce, Lebanese forces seized many Hezbollah weapons in southern areas, though the group insists it honors the ceasefire only south of the Litani River.