Israeli security forces recently thwarted a planned attempt by Hamas’ Lebanese branch to infiltrate Israel and carry out an October 7-style attack of yishuvim in the Galil, Israeli officials revealed on Motzei Shabbos.

The officials explained that the IDF airstrike in Sidon in southern Lebanon about two and a half weeks ago targeted a Hamas training facility that housed weapons and equipment for the cross-border attack.

They added that the facility had been under IDF intelligence surveillance for an extended period of time, and the IDF carried out the strike when dozens of terrorists had gathered at the site.

The facility is located in Ain al-Hilweh, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon.

The details of the operation have not yet been fully cleared for publication.

“IDF forces are constantly working to locate and thwart infiltration attempts from any arena—and will continue to act resolutely to ensure the security of the residents of the north,” the IDF spokesperson said.

It should be noted that according to recent reports, Hamas has been steadily expanding its presence in Lebanon and has formed an alliance with Hezbollah. Entire Hamas companies—hundreds of terrorists—have been assigned by Hamas’s military wing to integrate into Hezbollah’s Radwan unit in preparation for joint action against Israel.

At the time of the strike in Sidon, the IDF said that it had attacked terrorists operating in a Hamas training compound. “The military site was used by terrorists for training in planning and carrying out terror attacks against IDF forces and the State of Israel,” the army said.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that 14 people were killed and four were wounded in the strike.

It was the deadliest IDF airstrike in Lebanon since the “ceasefire” between Israel and Lebanon went into effect about a year ago.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)