IDF forces on Tuesday continued operations to expose Hezbollah’s terror infrastructure in Naqoura, a picturesque Shiite village on the Israel-Lebanon border. Located adjacent to a large UNIFIL base in southern Lebanon, the village—home to 5,000 residents before the war—was revealed to contain a trove of armaments.
The site served as a staging ground for Hezbollah’s planned invasion of the Galilee by its elite Radwan forces, including the occupation of Nahariya and nearby communities.
Naqoura has become a stark symbol of the failure to enforce UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the Second Lebanon War in 2006 and tasked UN peacekeepers with ensuring Hezbollah’s forces remained north of the Litani River.
For years, Israeli governments and the IDF failed to prevent what had come to light in recent combat, all along the frontier, from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the mountains in the east.
"It is impossible to believe that the UN forces did not prevent Hezbollah from amassing so many arms and munitions," said Col. (res.) Nir Shimri, whose paratroopers have been operating in the village. What the military found was no less than incredible.
Hezbollah set up one of its largest logistical and strategic hubs on the coastal road leading from the border to Tyre and Sidon. The terror group operated alongside the UNIFIL forces that were there to protect the border and maintain stability but did nothing to stop Hezbollah. It is clearly evident that the international force was complicit in its silence, given the scope of Hezbollah's military might, revealed in Naqoura and dozens of other villages.
“Nearly every home contained stockpiles of military equipment and fortified positions. These served as auxiliary supplies for Hezbollah,” Shimri said.
The IDF postponed operations in the village until the later stages of the fighting and after the cease-fire agreement took effect, due to its proximity to UNIFIL headquarters. The site also hosts the international committee tasked with monitoring compliance with the agreement.
IDF strikes Hezbollah targets in Naqoura
(Video: IDF)
In November, eight UNIFIL troops were injured in a Hezbollah rocket attack, prompting the IDF to prioritize caution and prevent a repeat of such an incident.
“We had to ensure that fighting Hezbollah didn’t endanger the UNIFIL camp,” an IDF commander said, explaining that his forces were restricted in firepower and operated with precision under the watchful eyes of international forces. “We observed significant UNIFIL movements along the coastal road, yet they appeared to do nothing to stop Hezbollah’s activities in the village.”
In the village orchards, troops discovered rocket launchers aimed at Israel and notebooks detailing planned targets in northern Israel. “The launchers were hidden under trees and could only be located on foot,” a soldier said.
The soldier added that the area between villages was riddled with tunnels, command centers, weapon caches and rocket-laden trucks. “The closer we moved toward the UN base and the border, the more ammunition we uncovered. It felt as though UNIFIL provided cover for Hezbollah,” he said.
Inside the village, IDF troops uncovered explosive devices, RPGs, AK-47 rifles, Iranian missiles, anti-tank mortar shells and other weapons ready for use, hidden in homes and yards.
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“In another world, this village could have been a tourist attraction like those in Cyprus or Greece,” the commander said. “You walk into a luxurious home, with marble floors resembling those in affluent Israeli neighborhoods, and wonder why this became terror infrastructure. It’s surreal.”
Ahead of the cease-fire, residents were warned of unexploded munitions scattered throughout the village. Less than three weeks later, municipal engineer Abbas Awada accused Israel of systematically destroying the area, claiming 70% of the village was ruined after the cease-fire, up from 35% before.
In a Facebook post, Awada expressed outrage at UNIFIL’s inaction, criticizing the peacekeeping force for failing to enforce the cease-fire or prevent damage to the village where its headquarters is located.