Photo by
IDF Spokesperson/TPS-IL on 22 January, 2025
Israel Seizes More Hezbollah Weapons as Ceasefire Nears End
Jerusalem, 22 January, 2025 (TPS-IL) -- Israeli soldiers seized large amounts of Hezbollah weapons during a raid in Mount Dov, the Israel Defense Forces said on Wednesday as the end of a temporary two-month ceasefire drew closer.
Troops from the Mountains Brigade confiscated anti-tank launchers, rocket launchers, machine guns, and missiles aimed at Israel, and uncovered terror infrastructure.
Under the terms of a two-month ceasefire that went into effect on November 27, Hezbollah is supposed to withdraw its armed presence from areas of southern Lebanon south of the Litani River. Israeli forces will also withdraw from southern Lebanon in stages. The Lebanese Armed Forces is to be deployed in southern Lebanon including along the 120 km border with Israel, as will monitors from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
The ceasefire expires on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk met with Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel where they discussed the progress of Knesset legislation authorizing the transfer of captured Russian-made weapons to Ukraine.
“It was noted that this initiative would represent an important step in recognizing the common threats faced by both countries. The Ukrainian side expressed hope for a positive resolution of this matter,” the embassy said on Facebook on Tuesday.
Based on previous photos and videos released by the Israel Defense Forces, the seized Russian arms include Kornet anti-tank guided missiles, Strela shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles, RPG-29 Vampire and RPG-27 Tavolga rocket-propelled grenade launchers, Metis-M anti-tank missile systems, and MRO-A rocket-propelled anti-personnel flamethrowers. Also confiscated were stockpiles of Kalashnikov rifles.
The Russian weapons were found in larger quantities than expected, often in their original crates with Russian labels. The Wall St. Journal reported that as much as 70% of Hezbollah’s weapons were Russian-made.
Also on Tuesday, Hezbollah official Sheikh Muhammad Ali Hammadi was killed by gunmen outside his home in Machghara in the Beqaa Valley, the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Akhbar reported. Hammadi was Hezbollah’s top operative in the Beqaa Valley. It wasn’t clear who killed him or what the motive was. Hezbollah has not responded to the assassination.
After the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, Hezbollah began launching rockets and launching drones at northern Israel communities daily. According to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War, Hezbollah is forbidden from operating in southern Lebanon south of the Litani River.
At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 94 remaining hostages, more than 30 have been declared dead.
