Israeli operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah: May 19–May 25, 2025

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted numerous activities throughout Lebanon against Hezbollah between May 19 and May 25, 2025. Last week’s operations included targeted strikes on Hezbollah operatives, including one regional commander.

The IDF’s activities were primarily concentrated south of the Litani River, but several also targeted Hezbollah north of the waterway. Twenty-three areas were hit by airstrikes, and five areas experienced ground action. Additionally, flares were fired over one area.

Baalbek-Hermel Governorate

• Baalbek District: Bodai

Nabatieh Governorate

• Bint Jbeil District: Aitaroun, Ayta Ash Shaab, Deir Intar, Srebbine, and Yater
• Marjayoun District: Houla, Kfar Kela, Mhaibib, Rab Al Thalathine – Markaba, and Suwaneh
• Nabatieh: Mt. Al Rafia

South Lebanon Governorate

• Jezzine District: Qotrani and Mt. Rihan
• Tyre District: Al Aziyeh, Bustan, Dhayra, Hawsh-Ain Baal, Majdal Zoun, Naqoura, Shamaa, and Yarine

Casualties

Total casualties from Israeli operations in Lebanon were four people killed, all Hezbollah operatives, and 14 wounded.

• May 19, 2025: Three people were wounded; one Hezbollah operative was killed.
• May 20, 2025: Nine people were wounded.
• May 21, 2025: Two Hezbollah operatives were killed; one unidentified person was wounded.
• May 22, 2025: One Hezbollah operative was killed.
• May 23, 2025: No casualties were reported.
• May 24, 2025: No casualties were reported.
• May 25, 2025: One unidentified person was wounded.

Chronology of Israeli operations against Hezbollah, May 19-May 25, 2025

May 19

• At 4:20 pm, NNA Lebanon reported that an Israeli drone dropped an explosive on a vehicle in Dhayra in the South Lebanon Governorate’s Tyre District.
• At 4:36 pm, NNA Lebanon reported that Israeli troops directed fire at Kfar Kela in the Nabatieh Governorate’s Marjayoun District, wounding one Lebanese national identified only by his initials, M.F.
• At 5:21 pm, NNA Lebanon reported that two individuals were wounded after an Israeli drone targeted a motorbike on the outskirts of Srebbine in the Nabatieh Governorate’s Bint Jbeil District.
• At 8:24 pm, NNA Lebanon reported an Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of Houla in the Nabatieh Governorate’s Marjayoun District. The strike killed one person. Hezbollah-affiliated social media accounts later identified the fatality as Hezbollah operative Issa Hassan Qteish, whose nom de guerre was Hussaini, from Houla. At 9:36 pm, the IDF released a statement saying it had targeted and killed a Hezbollah operative who was part of the group’s Radwan commando unit near Houla.

May 20

• At 9:43 am, NNA Lebanon reported an Israeli airstrike that targeted a motorbike on the Mansouri road in Majdal Zoun in the South Lebanon Governorate’s Tyre District. At 4:26 pm, the IDF said it had targeted and killed the commander of Hezbollah’s Mansouri complex, who oversaw several attacks against Israel during the war and “managed efforts to rebuild the Mansouri barracks and advanced efforts to smuggle weapons” to Hezbollah after the ceasefire. However, Hezbollah-affiliated social media accounts claimed the assassination attempt had failed, while the Lebanese Health Ministry said the strike wounded nine people, including two children and three people in critical condition.
• At 1:51 pm, NNA Lebanon reported that an Israeli drone dropped an explosive near fishermen on the coast near Naqoura in the south Lebanon Governorate’s Tyre District.
• At 2:52 pm, NNA Lebanon reported that another Israeli drone dropped an explosive near fishermen off the coast of Naqoura.
• At 3:09 pm, NNA Lebanon reported that an Israeli drone dropped a stun explosive near Kfar Kela in the Nabatieh Governorate’s Marjayoun District.
• At 9:12 pm, NNA Lebanon reported that Israeli drones dropped stun explosives in Al Bustan and Yarine in the South Lebanon Governorate’s Tyre District.

May 21

• At 9:14 am, NNA Lebanon reported that an Israeli drone targeted a vehicle on the Hawsh–Ain Baal Road in the South Lebanon Governorate’s Tyre District, killing one person from the town of Ramadiyeh. Hezbollah-affiliated social media accounts later announced the death of Hezbollah operative Hussain Nazih Berji, whose nom de guerre was Abu Ali, from Ramadiyeh. The IDF later confirmed its assassination of Berji, claiming he was an engineer and central figure in Hezbollah’s weapons production efforts. Per the IDF, Berji’s responsibilities included establishing the necessary infrastructure for producing precision surface-to-surface missiles, and his assassination was meant to undermine Hezbollah’s regeneration efforts after the November 27 Israel-Lebanon ceasefire. The IDF said the directorate’s responsibilities include overseeing the “production and maintenance of weapons” and “increasing the organization’s ability to produce weapons. Since its establishment, it has managed many weapons production projects, including producing precision missiles.”

• At 10:48 am, NNA Lebanon reported that an Israeli drone targeted a backhoe excavator in Yater in the Nabatieh Governorate’s Bint Jbeil District. The strike wounded one person and killed another, whom NNA Lebanon identified as Ali Hussain Abdul Latif Sweidan, with Lebanese media suggesting he was a civilian killed in the course of using the excavator to renovate his home. However, Hezbollah-affiliated social media accounts later identified Sweidan as a Hezbollah operative, whose nom de guerre was Nur, from Yater. The IDF subsequently identified Sweidan as a commander in Hezbollah’s Radwan Force commando unit.
• At 7:26 pm, NNA Lebanon reported that an Israeli drone targeted a motorbike in Aitaroun in the Nabatieh Governorate’s Bint Jbeil District. The strike killed one person who an IDF statement claimed was “a Hezbollah terrorist.” The fatality was later identified by Hezbollah-affiliated social media accounts as Hezbollah operative Mohammad Ibrahim Haidar, whose nom de guerre was Sadeq, from Aitaroun.

May 22

• At 8:47 am, NNA Lebanon reported that Israeli drones targeted prefabricated structures in Mhaibib in the Nabatieh Governorate’s Marjayoun District.
• At 5:18 pm, NNA Lebanon reported that Israeli troops directed fire at a shepherd (who Hezbollah has used in the past for reconnaissance) in Wazzani, adjacent to the Blue Line, in the Nabatieh Governorate’s Marjayoun District. NNA Lebanon simultaneously reported an Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of Rab Al Thalathine–Markaba in the Nabatieh Governorate’s Marjayoun District. The strike killed one person, who the IDF later said was an operative in Hezbollah’s Radwan Force commando unit. At 9:26 pm, Hezbollah-affiliated social media accounts announced the death of Hezbollah operative Haidar Mohammad Faqih, whose nom de guerre was Thaer Ali, from Rab Al Thalathine.

• At 7:05 pm, IDF Arabic Spokesman Avichay Adraee warned residents of Toul in the Nabatieh Governorate’s Nabatieh District to distance themselves at least 500 meters from Hassan Fahs Auto Repair Shop. Adraaey claimed the building housed “installations belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist group.” At 7:59 pm, NNA Lebanon reported that Israel targeted and destroyed the structure in Toul after first conducting a warning airstrike.

• At 8:35 pm, NNA Lebanon reported a series of Israeli airstrikes near Suwaneh and Touline in the Nabatieh Governorate’s Marjayoun District and another on Al Aziyeh in the South Lebanon Governorate’s Tyre District.
• At 8:47 pm, NNA Lebanon reported an Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of Qotrani in the South Lebanon Governorate’s Jezzine District.
• At 8:54 pm, NNA Lebanon reported several airstrikes on Mount Rihan in the South Lebanon Governorate’s Jezzine District and Mount Al Rafia in the Nabatieh Governorate’s Nabatieh District.
• At 9:28 pm, NNA Lebanon reported an Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of Majdal Zoun in the South Lebanon Governorate’s Tyre District.
• At 9:59 pm, NNA Lebanon reported that Israeli troops fired upon an unidentified Lebanese national in Wazzani in the Nabatieh Governorate’s Marjayoun District, severely wounding him.
• At 10:02 pm, NNA Lebanon reported an Israeli airstrike on Bodai in the Baalbek-Hermel’s Baalbek District. The IDF later said that it targeted a Hezbollah military installation housing rocket launchers and other weapons after activity by Hezbollah operatives had been identified. The IDF also said it had targeted Hezbollah installations and rocket and missile launchers throughout south Lebanon.
• At 11:15 pm, NNA Lebanon reported that Israeli troops directed gunfire at Houla in the Nabatieh Governorate’s Marjayoun District. An Israeli drone also dropped an explosive on a fishing boat near Naqoura in the South Lebanon Governorate’s Tyre District.

May 23

• At 7:07 am, NNA Lebanon reported two Israeli airstrikes on prefabricated structures in Deir Intar in the Nabatieh Governorate’s Bint Jbeil District and Shamaa in the South Lebanon Governorate’s Tyre District.
• At 12:23 pm, NNA Lebanon reported that an Israeli drone dropped an explosive in Ayta Ash Shaab in the Nabatieh Governorate’s Bint Jbeil District.
• At 3:49 pm, NNA Lebanon reported that Israeli troops fired upon an unidentified Lebanese national’s vehicle in Kfar Kela in the Nabatieh Governorate’s Marjayoun District as the individual approached the Fatima Gate on the Blue Line.
• At 10:16 pm, NNA Lebanon reported Israeli gunfire from an IDF post in the Golan Heights directed at Shebaa, followed by flares being fired over the surrounding areas.

May 24

• No operations were reported.

May 25

• At 11:49 am,NNA Lebanon reported that an Israeli drone targeted a motorbike in the Safarjal neighborhood of Majdal Zoun in the South Lebanon Governorate’s Tyre District. The strike wounded one unidentified person.

David Daoud is Senior Fellow at at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies where he focuses on Israel, Hezbollah, and Lebanon affairs.