February 3, 2025 | Israel at War Situation Report
Israel SitRep: February 3, 2025
February 3, 2025 Israel at War Situation Report
Israel SitRep: February 3, 2025
Today’s Issue: | IDF Troops Continue Operations in Southern Lebanon, Seizing Weapons, Killing Hezbollah Operatives | Hezbollah Initiative Will Renovate Damaged Homes in Southern Lebanon | IAF Launches Program to Increase Cooperation With Ground Troops in West Bank | Incoming Chief of Staff: ‘IDF Rose from the Depths’ During the War, Will Produce Weapons Domestically | Latest FDD Analysis
IDF Troops Continue Operations in Southern Lebanon, Seizing Weapons, Killing Hezbollah Operatives: The IDF on Monday reported on operations in southern Lebanon by the 769th (Hiram) Regional Brigade and the 7th Armored Brigade, which it says are intended “to preserve operational achievements in the area” and are being carried out “in accord[ance] with the understandings between Israel and Lebanon.” In the past few days, IDF troops have been conducting searches to clear the area and destroy Hezbollah infrastructure. In one search, 769th Brigade troops found several weapons depots with explosives, guns, missiles, rockets, mortars, and a large amount of other military equipment, seizing the equipment and destroying the weapons depots. In another operation, troops killed several Hezbollah operatives in the area and detained suspects they considered to be a threat.
Hezbollah Initiative Will Renovate Damaged Homes in Southern Lebanon: On Monday, the Alma Research and Education Center published an update on events in the north, stating that on January 28, Hezbollah initiated a program to renovate buildings in southern Lebanon that were damaged in the war. According to Hezbollah, it is launching the program because of “a promise to return the houses to be more beautiful than they were, and in order to return our respected people to their villages.” It also wishes “to thwart the enemy’s goals of turning them into a buffer zone.” More than 200 engineers have begun identifying the damage to the buildings. An organization called Jihad al-Bina will be paying residents of southern Lebanon compensation through Al-Qard Al-Hassan, a U.S. Treasury-designated Hezbollah financial institution.
IAF Launches Program to Increase Cooperation With Ground Troops in West Bank: The Israeli news outlet Ynet reported on Monday that the Israeli Air Force has initiated a program to increase cooperation with ground troops fighting in Operation Iron Wall, the IDF’s current operation in the West Bank. The IDF has been making significant use of airstrikes in the West Bank in recent years — to prevent attacks, disrupt attacks while they are being carried out, neutralize explosive devices, and hit terrorists who are fleeing — and along with the Shin Bet, it intends to increase their use. Last week, the deputy commander of the IAF’s 109th Squadron joined an operation conducted by the Samaria Regional Brigade’s 8109th Reserve Battalion and learned about combat methods and threats from the brigade’s commanders and soldiers. In the next few weeks, IAF pilots and squadron commanders will be spending 24 hours in different sectors of the West Bank to improve cooperation with ground troops there.
Incoming Chief of Staff: ‘IDF Rose from the Depths’ During the War, Will Produce Weapons Domestically: On Sunday, newly appointed IDF chief of staff Maj. Gen. (Res.) Eyal Zamir, speaking at the Defense Ministry’s Work Plan Conference, stated that “during the war, the IDF rose from the depths,” defeating “enemies on all fronts” whose “leaders are now buried under the rubble. According to Zamir, there are still challenges, and “2025 will continue to be a year of combat.” Discussing domestic weapons production, Zamir stated that “the war has proven that we must only rely on ourselves,” adding that “Israel will … produce its own weapons independently.” He pointed out that during the war, Israel had “restarted production lines that had been shut down, expanded existing production lines, and established new manufacturing capabilities” and noted that increased domestic manufacturing would also benefit Israel through defense exports.
Latest FDD Analysis:
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“Israel SitRep: January 31, 2025,” FDD Experts, FDD Israel at War Situation Report