By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Hezbollah destroys Merkava tanks in an ambush targeting an Israeli convoy as violations continue and losses mount in southern Lebanon.

Key Developments

• Hezbollah targets Israeli armored convoy with pre-planted explosive devices.
• Four Merkava tanks destroyed in coordinated double-wave ambush.
• Israeli losses continue following earlier deadly IED incidents.

Ambush Destroys Israeli Armor

The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah carried out a coordinated ambush against an Israeli armored convoy in southern Lebanon, destroying multiple tanks and inflicting further losses on occupation forces.

According to Al Mayadeen, the convoy, consisting of eight armored vehicles, was targeted on Sunday as it moved from the town of Taybeh toward the old Al-Sal‘a outpost near Deir Siryan.

The Resistance said the attack was executed using a chain of pre-planted explosive devices that detonated in two successive waves between 3:40 pm and 4:40 PM.

The explosions resulted in the destruction of four Merkava tanks, which were seen engulfed in flames.

By 6:00 PM, Israeli occupation forces had begun withdrawing the damaged vehicles from the area.

The ambush came amid continued Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon, despite the ceasefire that came into effect days earlier.

According to Al Mayadeen, Israeli occupation forces have carried out repeated violations, including incursions, bombardment, and ongoing ground movements.

The movement of the armored column itself was part of these continued operations inside Lebanese territory.

🎥⚠️ Video | Islamic Resistance targets Israeli Merkava tank in Beit Yahoun, southern Lebanon during a resistance operation. pic.twitter.com/OamEwaxIUL

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) April 20, 2026

Israeli Losses Continue to Mount

The latest ambush follows a series of deadly incidents targeting Israeli troops in southern Lebanon over the past two days.

Israeli military sources confirmed that a reservist soldier was killed and nine others were wounded in an improvised explosive device explosion in the border village of Kfar Kila. The soldier belonged to the 7106th Battalion of the 769th ‘Hiram’ Regional Brigade. 

In a separate incident a day earlier, another reservist was killed and three soldiers were wounded when an explosive device detonated during a building search operation in the village of Jebbayn.

Israeli media reports indicate that at least 36 soldiers were killed or wounded between Saturday and Sunday.

Expanding Israeli Military Presence

Israeli occupation forces continue to operate within what they describe as an “advanced defense zone” extending from Ras al-Bayyada on the coast to Shebaa in the east.

The zone, which stretches several kilometers into Lebanese territory, is seen as an attempt to impose a new military reality on the ground.

According to Israeli statements, the objective includes maintaining long-term control over areas along the border.

Hezbollah: Ceasefire Not One-Sided

Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said the Resistance remains fully prepared to respond to any Israeli violations.

He stressed that a ceasefire requires a complete halt to hostilities and cannot be applied selectively.

Qassem said the Resistance does not trust Israeli commitments and will maintain operational readiness in the field.

He outlined key conditions for the next phase, including a full Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory, the return of displaced residents, and the launch of reconstruction efforts.

‘Most Challenging Enemy’

Israeli media have warned of a growing battlefield challenge facing the occupation army, driven by Hezbollah’s evolving drone capabilities.

According to Al Mayadeen, citing Israeli newspaper Maariv, military analyst Avi Ashkenazi reported that Hezbollah has deployed drones guided through fiber-optic systems rather than wireless or satellite signals, effectively bypassing Israeli electronic warfare defenses.

Ashkenazi noted that the use of these systems has allowed Hezbollah to operate drones beyond previously estimated ranges, while maintaining direct control that cannot be intercepted or jammed.

Israeli military officials reportedly told Maariv that the technology has disrupted operational movement on the ground, complicating both armored maneuvers and infantry deployment.

Commanders within the 162nd Division described Hezbollah as “the most challenging enemy,” pointing to the precision and effectiveness of these systems in targeting forces and limiting battlefield mobility.

(PC, Al Mayadeen, Israeli media)