Just hours before the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire was to come into place, the IDF sent its fighter jets to Lebanon for one final mission. Their target: A 1.4-km-long underground precision-guided missile manufacturing site in the Lebanese town of Bekka Valley, which is close to the Syrian border.
The operation continued for over four hours as Israeli jets rained bomb after bombs at the manufacturing site. Before this, the IDF had targeted a nearby facility which was being used by Hezbollah's elite Radwan forces for training exercises. Dozens of Hezbollah operatives were killed in this strike.
The military also released footage of the airstrikes from the night.
According to the IDF, the missile manufacturing plant was built several years ago with Iranian support. Since the site was close to Syria, it was the central point through which thousands of weapons components and terrorist operatives were smuggled from Syria and Lebanon.
The missile-manufacturing plant became a main stay for Hezbollah after Israel began thwarting the smuggling of missiles from Iran to Lebanon. This unit was created to support the arming of Hezbollah operatives with precision-guided missiles.
IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told reporters on Wednesday evening that Israel had been monitoring the site "for a long time."
The complex, with entrances on both Lebanon and Syria, was divided into different areas, each of which produced a different part for the precision surface-to-surface missiles.
Hezbollah celebrations
Now that the ceasefire is in place, hundreds of Lebanese who left the southern part of the country after the Israeli bombing began have returned. According to regional media, Hezbollah began distributing posters and flags in Dahieh and nearby areas. They also had citizens driving around in their cars, waving Lebanese and Hezbollah flags and celebrating "victory" among the ruins of their homes.
The flags bore the pictures of Hezbollah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah and his alleged successor Hashem Safieddine who were both killed. Young people also converged at squares and intersections as bulldozers began clearing the ruins.