by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

JERUSALEM/BEIRUT (Worthy News) – The Israel Defense Forces confirmed on Tuesday that its troops carried out an overnight operation in the southern Lebanon town of Blida, targeting what it described as Hezbollah terror infrastructure.

According to the IDF, soldiers identified a suspect inside a building — reportedly Blida’s municipal headquarters — and initiated a “suspect arrest procedure.” When troops encountered what they called “an immediate threat,” they opened fire, killing the suspect. Lebanese media said the victim was a municipal worker.

“The incident is under further investigation,” the IDF said in a statement, adding that Hezbollah had been using the municipal building “for terror activity under the guise of civilian infrastructure.”

“This is another example of a pattern of behavior that endangers the residents of Lebanon and reflects Hezbollah’s cynical exploitation of civilian infrastructure for terror purposes,” the statement continued.

Israeli military sources confirmed that Lebanese army forces arrived after the IDF’s withdrawal but emphasized that there was no confrontation between the sides.

The operation came shortly after U.S. Deputy Special Presidential Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus concluded her visit to Lebanon, where she held high-level talks in Beirut focused on disarming Hezbollah and stabilizing the Israel-Lebanon border.

Ortagus had spent two days in Israel before traveling to Lebanon, where she met with President Joseph Aoun and other senior officials. Her mission, according to regional reports, was to press Beirut to assert control over weapons held by non-state actors and to lay the groundwork for renewed Israeli-Lebanese negotiations under the ceasefire framework established in November 2024.

Saudi-based Al Arabiya reported that Ortagus conveyed a firm message from Washington: the time for “concrete measures” to disarm Hezbollah is running short. The envoy reportedly warned Lebanese leaders that the window for diplomatic progress would close within weeks, not months.

Her departure comes amid a surge in Israeli strikes on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, including targets in the Bekaa Valley. Reports from Lebanese media indicate that 11 people — including at least eight Hezbollah operatives — have been killed since last Thursday. Israeli outlets estimate that Israel has targeted more than 365 Hezbollah members since the ceasefire took effect last November.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem downplayed the group’s losses but acknowledged the current “imbalance of power” with Israel.

“We will not initiate combat, but we are ready to defend ourselves if a battle is imposed upon us,” Qassem said. “We will not let the Israelis pass, no matter how powerful they are.”

During her stay in Israel, Ortagus met with Defense Minister Israel Katz, who briefed her on the situation along the northern border and presented intelligence showing Hezbollah’s renewed efforts to rebuild its military infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Katz vowed that Israel would “take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of residents in the North.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also reiterated that Israel will act according to its own security needs, underscoring that Jerusalem’s sovereignty will guide any decisions regarding operations in Lebanon or Gaza.

Another U.S. official, Tom Barrack, is expected to visit Beirut in early November alongside the arrival of the new American ambassador, Michel Issa, as Washington continues to pursue diplomatic channels to prevent another regional conflict.

The developments highlight the growing tension along Israel’s northern frontier — a volatile theater where diplomacy, deterrence, and open conflict remain in delicate balance.

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