IDF launches last-minute special forces operation in southern Lebanon before ceasefire takes effect

Israeli special forces launched a military operation on the Christopheni Ridge in southern Lebanon shortly before the ceasefire took effect, according to reports from Moriah Asraf and Doron Kadosh citing the political-security cabinet circuit.

The operation, named "Eit", began Thursday night when troops from a special unit were inserted into the heart of the ridge and established a position in the area. The mission was approved by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and commanded by the Israeli Air Force chief together with the head of Northern Command, according to the report.

The IDF said it remains on immediate alert and will continue acting to remove threats throughout the zone between the border and the line defined under the ceasefire understandings.

Operation launched just before ceasefire

The timing of the mission is central to its significance. According to the report, the landing took place only minutes before the ceasefire officially entered into force, allowing Israeli forces to seize and secure a key elevated position in southern Lebanon before the new restrictions began.

The deployment indicates that Israel sought to shape the tactical reality on the ground at the final stage before the ceasefire came into effect, particularly in terrain seen as strategically important for surveillance and control.

Strategic ridge deep inside Lebanon

The Christopheni Ridge captured by the IDF overnight is located inside Lebanese territory, approximately 12 kilometers north of the Israeli Hermon and at the foot of the Syrian Hermon, which is also under Israeli control, according to the report.

The ridge overlooks a broad and sensitive area. It sits roughly 30 kilometers from the Beirut-Damascus highway and commands observation over parts of Lebanon's Beqaa Valley. Israeli control of such a position could provide a significant operational advantage in monitoring movement across a wide corridor linking Lebanon and Syria.

Sources cited in the report described the ridge as isolated, with very few Lebanese villages in the surrounding area, making it a geographically distinct and militarily useful position.

Historic battlefield with regional importance

The ridge is also tied to earlier fighting. During the First Lebanon War, battles were fought there against Syrian army forces, underscoring the location's longstanding military relevance.

Its position between the Israeli Hermon, the Syrian front, and the Beqaa region has historically made it a valuable high-ground objective for any force seeking intelligence, fire control, or regional maneuvering advantage.

IDF posture after the operation

Israeli forces are now reported to be holding the ridge after establishing themselves there during the overnight operation.

• The mission was carried out by a special IDF unit.
• Troops landed before the ceasefire took effect.
• The operation was approved by the IDF chief of staff.
• Command oversight was shared by the Air Force commander and Northern Command chief.
• The IDF says it remains prepared to act immediately against threats in the sector.

No immediate details were released on the size of the force, whether resistance was encountered, or how long troops are expected to remain on the ridge.

The IDF said it is on immediate alert and will continue to remove threats in the area between the border and the line defined under the ceasefire understandings.

Further official details on the scope and objective of Operation Eit have not yet been published.