IDF Blunts Overnight Hezbollah Attack
The military had issued a rare nationwide warning Tuesday afternoon, saying intelligence indicated Hezbollah was preparing an escalated assault. That warning followed earlier barrages in the conflict, including a March 11 attack in which more than 200 rockets were fired toward Israel. Hezbollah managed to launch only around 40 rockets overnight, far below both its recent peak and its typical daily rate of roughly 100.
Despite a deadly Iranian missile barrage overnight, the IDF said Wednesday it had succeeded in significantly reducing Hezbollah’s ability to carry out a planned large-scale rocket attack on Israel.
The military had issued a rare nationwide warning Tuesday afternoon, saying intelligence indicated Hezbollah was preparing an escalated assault. That warning followed earlier barrages in the conflict, including a March 11 attack in which more than 200 rockets were fired toward Israel.
This time, however, Hezbollah managed to launch only around 40 rockets overnight, far below both its recent peak and its typical daily rate of roughly 100.
According to the IDF, preemptive strikes played a key role. Israeli forces destroyed around 10 rocket launchers before they could be used, compared to just one launcher intercepted ahead of the March 11 barrage.
Most of the rockets that were fired either landed in northern border areas and the Lower Galilee or fell short inside Lebanon, with none reaching central Israel.
At the same time, the military cautioned that the relative success does not signal a lasting shift in Hezbollah’s capabilities.
The group is actively adapting its tactics, aiming to increase its daily rocket fire to around 150. Instead of using larger launch crews capable of firing dozens of rockets at once, Hezbollah has shifted to smaller, decentralized cells firing just a handful of rockets each.
The change is designed to limit the impact of Israeli strikes. Hitting a single cell now eliminates fewer rockets than in previous phases of the conflict, when larger launch units were more vulnerable.
Hezbollah has also repositioned many of its launch sites further north, beyond the Litani River, firing from distances of over 40 kilometers. While this makes it harder for the IDF to strike launchers before firing, it also reduces accuracy and contributes to more rockets falling short.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces say expanded ground operations in southern Lebanon have increased pressure on Hezbollah. The IDF estimates that around 500 Hezbollah operatives have been killed so far in the conflict, up from roughly 300 previously reported.
Overnight, the military also expanded its strikes to the city of Tyre, targeting areas used by Hezbollah to coordinate operations.
The IDF said it is preparing for a prolonged campaign in Lebanon, signaling that the current phase of fighting is likely to continue beyond initial expectations.