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According to a report by CBS News on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, Hezbollah has announced that it successfully repelled a multi-day Israeli ground operation aimed at advancing deeper into southern Lebanon, marking a sharp escalation in cross-border tensions.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Iran-backed group said it had engaged Israeli forces over a four-day period, using drones, rockets, and artillery strikes to halt their progress toward the town of Kfar Tebnit, located near Nabatieh in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah further claimed that its resistance forced Israeli troops to withdraw from the area, alleging that helicopters were deployed under the cover of smoke and artillery fire to evacuate casualties during the night.
“As a result, the enemy was forced to retreat and deploy helicopters under the cover of smoke screens and artillery fire during the night to evacuate its losses,” the statement read.
The Israel Defense Forces have not confirmed the details of Hezbollah’s claims but stated that Israeli troops will continue operating within a designated security zone extending approximately six miles into Lebanese territory from the border.
The IDF maintains that the deployment is necessary for defensive purposes amid ongoing security threats.
The developments come amid heightened regional tensions, with diplomatic and military pressure increasing along the Israel-Lebanon frontier.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials have warned that any continued Israeli military presence inside Lebanese territory could be viewed as a violation of a recent U.S.-Iran understanding signed earlier in the week.
The situation remains highly volatile as both sides maintain conflicting accounts of the recent engagements.
