From Shebaa Farms to Mount Hermon: Israel resets its northern war map

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

Israel has placed the Lebanon-Syria border area at the top of its intelligence and security priorities.

Under the pretext of countering Hezbollah's ongoing efforts to smuggle weapons, Israel revealed details of a recent airstrike targeting the border area at the foot of Mount Hermon. 

According to the Israeli account, the strike destroyed weapons depots and combat equipment weighing three tons, including anti-tank mines, dozens of explosive devices, and rockets.

The Israeli military has since reshuffled its operational priorities in the region, intensifying surveillance and assigning military tasks—particularly in the Shebaa Farms and adjacent Syrian territories—to the  810th Heharim Regional Brigade.

Military officials in Israel’s Northern Command have warned that the current situation on the Lebanese front is unsustainable, especially what they described as delays in making a decisive decision to dismantle Hezbollah’s military capabilities.

As part of what it calls efforts to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its military strength, the Israeli army stated in a recent report that it has informed the ceasefire monitoring committee of 1,200 violations of the agreement. 

Of these, 650 were conveyed to the Lebanese army, which, according to Israeli claims, has only addressed 52 percent of them. This contrasts with multiple reports from the committee highlighting significant efforts by the Lebanese military.

In a recent assessment session, Israel’s Northern Command reprioritized its missions regarding Lebanon. At the top of the list are monitoring and tracking members of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force and targeting Hezbollah’s efforts to restore its firepower, which Israel claims poses a serious threat to its home front.