Press Briefing by IDF Spokesperson RAdm. Daniel Hagari-October 24, 2024

”In a joint operation with the ISA, we eliminated the Nukhba terrorist who led the massacre at the Re'im bomb shelter. Ironically and horrifyingly, this terrorist also worked for UNRWA. We will continue to search for and reach all those involved in the brutal massacre.”

Attached is a full transcript of the statement:
Over the holiday, four IDF soldiers were killed in close-quarters combat with Hezbollah terrorists in southern Lebanon: Command Sergeant Major (res.) Mordechai Haim Amoyal, Sergeant Major (res.) Shmuel Harari, Master Sergeant (res.) Shlomo Aviad Nayman, and Sergeant First Class (res.) Shuvael Ben-Natan, may their memory be a blessing. All were reservists. We have a sacred duty to honor our reservists, who for over a year have repeatedly answered our call to defend the nation, bearing the heavy toll of this war. In addition, six soldiers were critically wounded and evacuated to hospitals. We wish a quick recovery to the wounded and send our heartfelt condolences to the families of the fallen.

Over the holiday, Hezbollah launched dozens of rockets, missiles, and UAVs, unfortunately resulting in casualties. I repeat, the Home Front Command’s guidelines save lives: entering protected areas, closing the windows and doors in the protected areas, exiting vehicles and lying down by the roadside, and waiting 10 minutes due to shrapnel from interceptions. These actions save lives. It is crucial to follow these instructions and act responsibly to prevent further casualties. We are continuously assessing the situation, and as of now, there are no changes to the Home Front Command’s guidelines. Stay alert, and we will update you immediately if anything changes.

Today, we observed the holiday of Simchat Torah. Exactly one year ago, at 6:29 AM, war began when the Hamas terrorist organization launched a brutal attack, murdering and kidnapping Israeli civilians. The hostages, the fallen, and the wounded—both physically and mentally—are always in our hearts and minds. Since that day, the IDF has fought with determination and strength on all fronts to restore security to the residents of the south, the north, and all Israeli citizens.

This evening, we confirm that in a joint operation with the ISA, we eliminated the Nukhba terrorist who led the massacre at the Re'im bomb shelter, where Israelis were murdered and kidnapped, including youth attending the Nova festival. Ironically and horrifyingly, this terrorist also worked for UNRWA. We will continue to search for and reach all those involved in the brutal massacre. Especially tonight, we must remember the 101 hostages still held under inhumane conditions in Gaza. We are committed to bringing them home.

Tonight, I will present the IDF’s activity in southern Lebanon in areas where Hezbollah has entrenched itself, hiding and storing weapons, and preparing for attacks on our territory. For years, Hezbollah has planned to invade Israel. Our forces that are currently in the field are exposing Hezbollah's methods. First, they turned civilian villages into fortified combat zones. From there, they moved closer to the border, converting those areas into fortified staging grounds hidden under dense overgrowth. In these locations, they placed weapons, explosives, motorcycles, and more in order to launch attacks on northern communities.

In the past year, the Northern Command has conducted a series of strikes and targeted operations against this infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Over the past month, our forces have been operating in southern Lebanon, in both villages and dense thicketed areas near the border. The goal is to push Hezbollah away from the border, dismantle its capabilities, and eliminate the threat to northern residents. I will now provide two examples that demonstrate what we have uncovered and how Hezbollah prepared these areas as advance bases for future attacks.

This is the Labbouneh area. Under thick overgrowth, Hezbollah built an underground network of combat zones where it stored various weapons, which you can see here. Over the past month, our forces have operated in this area, clearing it of terror infrastructure, including the thicketed areas. Here, you can see more of the fortifications in the thicketed areas – underground hideouts equipped with beds and combat gear, in a thicketed area, near the fence.

Another example is our operation in the village of Mhaibib in southern Lebanon. As you can see, Hezbollah hid a Radwan Forces command center underground, beneath civilian homes in the village. The entrance shafts to the command center were deliberately placed under residential buildings. We found long underground corridors, complete with living quarters, kitchens, food, showers, motorcycles, and numerous weapons ready for an attack. Our forces seized and destroyed the weapons found in the village and neutralized the main tunnel network.

Hezbollah has spent years and significant resources building this infrastructure. We are currently eliminating this capability. The underground facilities I have presented here do not cross into Israeli territory. These are underground staging areas built beyond the border as part of Hezbollah’s plans to invade Israeli territory from above ground. As I reported earlier, we have found only one tunnel that crossed a few meters into our territory, and we destroyed it. We continue to scan both sides of the border for any similar infrastructure.

In the past month alone, we have struck more than 3,200 targets in southern Lebanon, including approximately 350 weapons storage facilities. Here, you can see a few of the weapons our forces have uncovered in southern Lebanon. So far, we have seized more than 3,200 explosives and approximately 2,500 anti-tank missiles, RPGs, launchers, and Kornet missiles. Additionally, we seized drones, combat vests, helmets, and a large amount of ammunition.

Part of the weapons were destroyed on-site, while others were transferred for investigation and documentation by the Enemy Assets Confiscation Unit under the IDF’s Technology and Logistics Directorate. The amount of weapons we are discovering emphasizes the significance of our targeted ground operations in removing the threat communities in northern Israel face.