Israeli Invasion Forces Take Heavy Losses in Hezbollah Ambush

<p >A growing number of reports have emerged of major engagements between Israeli and Hezbollah ground forces near the Israeli-Lebanese border regions, during which the Lebanese militia group managed to inflict heavy casualties in a successful large scale ambush. Israeli media reported a “high-casualty event" near the border and the evacuation of the wounded using at least four helicopters after an ambush, with 20 ambulances and multiple helicopters later bringing wounded Rambam Hospital. Israeli reports have also repeatedly highlighted the sheer scale of Hezbollah’s firepower directed against their forces. Hezbollah affiliated sources meanwhile announced an ambush against a group of Israeli personnel who were preparing to infiltrate from Adaisseh and Kfar Kela, causing dozens of casualties while the adversary’s “screams were heard everywhere.” The local outlet Al Mayadeen reported that Hezbollah intelligence knew beforehand about the operation that Israeli units were preparing for in the area. Reports of successful ambushes are highly consistent with those released in the aftermath of <a href=" target="_blank">failed Israeli offensives</a> into Lebanon in 2006, which similarly resulted in serious losses as Hezbollah’s ground units proved highly capable of striking from unexpected directions. </p><p ><img src=" title="Israeli Forces in Southern Lebanon"></p><p >Alongside the reported ambush, Hezbollah affiliated forces reported having “targeted a large Israeli infantry force in the settlement of Masgav Am with rockets and artillery, achieving a direct and accurate hit,” and subsequently having “ targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy forces in the settlement of Shtula with two Burkan missiles and achieved confirmed hits. Two days into Israel’s <a href=" target="_blank">attempted invasion of Lebanon</a>, prospects for offensives gaining momentum<a href=" target="_blank"> appear increasingly limited</a> due to both the strength of Hezbollah’s defences, and to the significant disruption caused to Israeli forces from <a href=" target="_blank">major Iranian missile strikes </a>on October 1. The strikes have reportedly destroyed multiple fighter aircraft on the ground, specifically targeting highly valued F-35s and F-15s, while also targeting concentrations of Israeli ground forces. </p><p >Israeli reports regarding the extent of advances into Lebanon, specifically that special forces carried out limited operations against Hezbollah’s military infrastructure, have notably been disputed by the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri. Bagheri stated in the aftermath of Iranian strikes that this “filmed material dates back to previous periods, not yesterday, and the way it was presented was manipulated to appear from several locations and at several times,” noting that “the enemy was unable to send forces into Lebanon yesterday, but rather its forces were exposed to resistance fire while they were still at their mobilisation and readiness points inside the occupied territories, in Shtula, Metula, Avivim, and others.”</p>