The fight for Kfarkela and Maroun El Ras: Key axes in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict

Report by Lara El Hachem, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

Clashes between Hezbollah and the Israeli army have primarily occurred along the two main "fighting axes" of Kfarkela and Odaisseh on one side and Yaroun and Maroun El Ras on the other since the announcement of the ground incursion. 

What is the strategic importance of these two axes for Israel?

Between Kfarkela and Odaisseh lies the Al-Awaida hill, which overlooks the border area within the occupied territories. 

Controlling it diminishes the resistance's ability to monitor and initiate actions while providing the Israeli army with a line of sight reaching Nabatieh.

The Maroun El Ras elevation rises more than 900 meters above sea level, and its control provides Israeli forces with a line of sight reaching Bint Jbeil.

Attempts by Israeli forces to enter Yaroun and Maroun El Ras through the orchards have failed, shifting the clashes to the valleys located between Yaroun and Ain Ebel, which could serve as a corridor to Yaroun and Maroun El Ras.

Due to the strategic importance of these axes, the clashes continue. A field officer in Hezbollah confirmed that intense fighting occurred from Friday night into Saturday, during which the resistance thwarted two infiltration attempts via Odaisseh. 

In one attempt, Hezbollah elements ambushed an Israeli force and opened fire, causing explosives in their possession to detonate.

On the Maroun El Ras axis, a Merkava tank attempted to advance toward the outskirts of the village but was targeted in return. 

Hezbollah sources claim to have inflicted dozens of casualties on the Israeli army, which continues to exert pressure through airstrikes and artillery shelling to cover its forces, issuing new evacuation warnings to residents of villages in the south of Lebanon.