Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says the Israeli military has killed half of Hezbollah's commanders in southern Lebanon.
The remarks are made following a visit to the IDF Northern Command, where Gallant held an assessment meeting with the command's chief Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin and other top intelligence, operational, and artillery officers.
"Half of the Hezbollah commanders in south Lebanon have been eliminated… and the other half hide and abandon south Lebanon to IDF operations," Gallant said.
Galant reiterated that Israel's main goal in the north is to return the tens of thousands of displaced Israelis to their homes amid Hezbollah's daily attacks and ensure the security of the northern part of the country.
"The coming period will be decisive in this regard," Gallant noted.
Since the beginning of the war on October 7, 2023, Hezbollah has confirmed the loss of 288 fighters, including dozens of commanders. For example, it was confirmed that on April 23, as a result of IDF strikes, Hussein Ali Azkul, one of the key commanders of Hezbollah's Aerial Defense Unit, and Mohammad Khalil Atiyeh, a high-ranking member of Hezbollah's elite Radwan force, were killed. While IDF mostly eliminates ordinary Hezbollah fighters near the border, commanders are often targeted tens of kilometers away from Israel's borders, typically utilizing precision drone strikes.
