Historical Organization
Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
Details
Organization Timeline
Israeli forces raid Beirut international airport
📅 28 December 1968Israeli commandos raided Beirut airport and destroyed civilian aircraft. Israel described the raid as retaliation for attacks on its civil aviation; Lebanon rejected responsibility for the earlier...
Israel launches Operation Litani in southern Lebanon
📅 14 March 1978Israeli forces invaded southern Lebanon with the stated objective of pushing Palestinian armed groups north of the Litani River. The invasion displaced civilians and intensified conflict in the south....
Israeli forces encircle Beirut
📅 13 June 1982By mid-June Israeli forces had surrounded Beirut after advancing through Lebanon. PLO and allied Lebanese fighters defended positions; residents endured shelling, displacement and shortages. The siege...
Israeli forces begin pullback from the Shouf
📅 3 September 1983Israel began withdrawing from the Shouf area; fighting between Lebanese factions intensified after the pullback. Resistance pressure was one factor in the broader military and political environment,...
Israel announces withdrawal while retaining a southern security zone
📅 10 June 1985The Israeli government announced withdrawal but maintained a border security zone with the South Lebanon Army and Israeli support. The UN Secretary-General warned that the arrangement violated...
Israel begins week-long bombardment of Lebanon (Operation Accountability)
📅 25 July 1993Israel launched an intensive air and artillery campaign against villages in southern Lebanon amid clashes with Hezbollah and other armed groups. UNIFIL reported widespread civilian displacement and...
End of July 1993 bombardment; large-scale displacement documented
📅 31 July 1993The week of bombardment ended. UNIFIL reported approximately 200,000 people temporarily displaced from its area, widespread destruction and differing casualty totals from Lebanese and independently...
Israel launches Operation Grapes of Wrath
📅 11 April 1996Israel began a large air and artillery operation in Lebanon after an escalation of cross-border attacks. Hezbollah launched rockets toward northern Israel; Israeli strikes and the rocket fire...
Israeli artillery strikes UN compound at Qana
📅 18 April 1996Israeli artillery struck a UNIFIL compound sheltering hundreds of displaced Lebanese civilians. A UN investigation estimated about 100 civilians killed, with many wounded. It also documented Hezbollah...
UN Secretary-General transmits Qana investigation to Security Council
📅 7 May 1996The Secretary-General transmitted the report of his military adviser on the 18 April shelling. The report recorded the civilians sheltering in the compound, Hezbollah firing nearby before the strike...
Israeli and allied forces begin vacating positions
📅 16 May 2000According to the UN Secretary-General, Israeli forces and the de facto forces began vacating positions on 16 May, earlier than anticipated, amid exchanges of fire. Lebanese resistance groups viewed...
Lebanese civilians enter villages as occupation positions collapse
📅 21 May 2000UN reporting describes large crowds of Lebanese, some accompanied by armed elements, entering villages from 21 May as Israeli and allied forces abandoned positions rapidly. The events involved...
Israeli forces leave almost all positions in southern Lebanon
📅 24 May 2000By 24 May, Israeli and allied forces appeared to have vacated almost all positions in Lebanon, according to the UN. The South Lebanon Army disintegrated, with some members fleeing into Israel and...
Hezbollah captures three Israeli soldiers across the Blue Line
📅 7 October 2000Hezbollah attacked an Israeli patrol near the Shebaa area, capturing three soldiers. The group presented the action as leverage for Lebanese prisoners and resistance to continued occupation of...
Operation Defensive Shield begins in Ramallah
📅 29 March 2002Israeli military incursion into Ramallah marks the beginning of large-scale West Bank reoccupation and curfews.
Israeli forces enter Tulkarm and Qalqilya
📅 1 April 2002Military incursions expand into two additional West Bank cities, affecting civilian movement and daily life.
Israeli forces enter Bethlehem
📅 2 April 2002Operation Defensive Shield expands into Bethlehem; a prolonged siege around the Church of the Nativity follows.
Israeli forces enter Jenin
📅 3 April 2002Israeli forces enter Jenin and its refugee camp; fighting and civilian destruction follow, with disputed allegations examined by the UN.
Israeli forces enter Nablus
📅 3 April 2002Incursion into Nablus leads to intense fighting and extensive restrictions on residents.
Israeli military announces end of Defensive Shield
📅 21 April 2002The IDF announces the official end of the operation; UN reporting notes its consequences continued.
Israeli troops complete Gaza withdrawal
📅 12 September 2005Israel completes removal of permanent ground troops and settlements from inside Gaza; control of airspace, maritime access and most crossings remains central to debates over the territory’s legal...
Cross-border raid near Kerem Shalom
📅 25 June 2006Palestinian armed groups attack an Israeli military post near Gaza, killing soldiers and capturing Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit; Israel launches major operations afterward.
Operation Summer Rains begins
📅 28 June 2006Israel launches a major military operation in Gaza after the capture of Gilad Shalit, with severe consequences for Palestinian civilians and infrastructure.
Hezbollah captures two Israeli soldiers at border
📅 12 July 2006Hezbollah fighters crossed the Blue Line and attacked an Israeli patrol, capturing two soldiers. The operation was presented as leverage for a prisoner exchange; Israel responded with large-scale...
Israeli ground and air operations begin
📅 12 July 2006Israel launched military operations following the border attack. Its response soon extended across Lebanese territory, severely affecting transport and civilian life; Hezbollah continued armed...
Israeli air strike kills four in Srifa
📅 13 July 2006An Israeli strike destroyed a home in Srifa, killing four Brazilian-Lebanese civilians. Human Rights Watch investigated this as part of its examination of attacks on civilian homes.
Beirut airport targeted during Israeli offensive
📅 13 July 2006Israeli strikes hit infrastructure including Beirut international airport as the war escalated. The closure and damage disrupted travel, evacuations and humanitarian access.
Marwahin civilians killed while fleeing
📅 15 July 2006An Israeli strike hit vehicles carrying civilians evacuating Marwahin after warnings to leave. Human Rights Watch later documented 23 deaths, including children; early counts differed. The attack...
Evacuation warnings expand in southern Lebanon
📅 15 July 2006Israeli forces issued warnings to leave southern villages; residents faced damaged roads, shortages and continuing strikes. Many civilians could not safely evacuate, complicating the humanitarian...
Fighting and displacement intensify
📅 16 July 2006Continued Israeli strikes and Hezbollah rocket fire widened the war and accelerated the displacement of Lebanese civilians. The parties offered opposing accounts of military necessity and...
Humanitarian access deteriorates in south
📅 17 July 2006Bombardment, damaged roads and insecurity impeded relief movements. Civilians and humanitarian workers faced increasing danger as the conflict continued.
Humanitarian convoy hit by Israeli strike
📅 18 July 2006An Israeli strike hit a United Arab Emirates Red Crescent convoy, killing a driver and destroying aid supplies, according to Human Rights Watch. The incident raised concerns over protection of...
Srifa air strike kills civilians
📅 19 July 2006Human Rights Watch documented an Israeli attack on Srifa that killed numerous civilians. The case formed part of its investigation into the distinction between civilian homes and military targets.
Aitaroun evacuation vehicles attacked
📅 19 July 2006Human Rights Watch documented the deaths of six civilians and injuries to eight people fleeing Aitaroun. It found no evidence of Hezbollah military presence justifying this attack on the vehicles.
Ainata civilians killed after food distribution
📅 19 July 2006Israeli strikes killed four Darwish family members in Ainata after they returned from purchasing and distributing bread, according to Human Rights Watch. The incident illustrates risks faced by...
Ground clashes continue near southern border
📅 21 July 2006Hezbollah fighters continued opposing Israeli ground movements in southern Lebanon, while Israeli air strikes and artillery fire continued. Both sides sought to shape the battlefield and public...
Red Cross ambulances struck in Qana
📅 23 July 2006Two clearly marked Red Cross ambulances were hit in Qana, injuring ambulance workers and patients, according to Human Rights Watch. The attack prompted scrutiny of humanitarian protection obligations.
Al-Tiri civilians attacked during evacuation
📅 23 July 2006Human Rights Watch documented three civilian deaths and fourteen injuries in an attack on people fleeing al-Tiri. It found no evidence of Hezbollah presence that would justify targeting the civilians.
Mansouri evacuation attacks documented
📅 23 July 2006Human Rights Watch reported separate strikes affecting civilians fleeing Mansouri, including fatalities and injuries. The cases added to evidence about dangers on evacuation routes.
Civilian on medical supply trip killed
📅 24 July 2006Human Rights Watch documented an Israeli attack that killed a civilian traveling by motorcycle to obtain food and medicine. The incident highlighted the vulnerability of essential civilian movements.
Woman collecting food killed near al-Ghassaniyeh
📅 25 July 2006An Israeli drone strike killed Saada Nur al-Din as she returned with food supplies to a shelter, according to Human Rights Watch. The incident became part of the record of attacks on civilian...
Israeli and Hezbollah forces battle at Bint Jbeil
📅 26 July 2006Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters fought intense engagements around Bint Jbeil. The battle became symbolically important in competing narratives about Israeli ground objectives and Hezbollah...
Human Rights Watch documents civilian attack patterns
📅 27 July 2006By late July, investigators had assembled testimony about Israeli strikes on homes and vehicles, including evacuating civilians. The findings raised questions about distinction and proportionality...
Qana region remains under bombardment
📅 29 July 2006Fighting and Israeli air operations continued around Qana ahead of the following day’s deadly strike. Civilians sheltering in homes faced grave danger.
Qana building collapse kills displaced civilians
📅 30 July 2006An Israeli air strike destroyed a building sheltering families in Qana. Human Rights Watch confirmed at least 28 deaths, including 16 children, revising higher initial reports. The attack generated...
War continues amid calls for humanitarian access
📅 1 August 2006Hostilities continued despite growing international calls for humanitarian pauses. Civilians remaining in southern villages faced isolation and danger.
Israeli strike kills farm workers near al-Qaa
📅 4 August 2006An Israeli air strike killed Syrian Kurdish farm workers in the Bekaa Valley. Human Rights Watch later documented 25 deaths and examined whether the target had a military purpose.
Israeli strikes destroy bridges north of Beirut
📅 4 August 2006Israeli aircraft destroyed bridges connecting Beirut with northern Lebanon, obstructing transport and humanitarian deliveries. The attacks became part of debates about civilian infrastructure...
Israeli strikes kill civilians at Ghaziyeh
📅 8 August 2006Israeli air strikes killed civilians in Ghaziyeh near Sidon. The incident increased pressure on diplomats to end the war and protect populated areas.
Israel announces expansion of ground offensive
📅 9 August 2006Israel announced plans to push its ground offensive farther into Lebanon; Hezbollah continued to resist Israeli forces and fire rockets. The expansion increased the urgency of diplomatic negotiations.
Ground resistance reported around Marjayoun
📅 10 August 2006Israeli forces encountered heavy resistance while taking Marjayoun. The clashes underscored the costs of a deeper ground operation in southern Lebanon.
Civilians fleeing Marjayoun killed
📅 11 August 2006An Israeli attack killed seven civilians in a convoy leaving Marjayoun, according to Human Rights Watch. The incident occurred as diplomats negotiated an end to the war.
Lebanese army reaches the border
📅 18 August 2006Lebanese army units reached the Israeli border as Israeli forces withdrew from parts of southern Lebanon. The move marked an important shift in post-war security arrangements.
Beit Hanoun shelling
📅 8 November 2006Israeli artillery shells strike homes in Beit Hanoun, killing Palestinian civilians. The incident prompts international condemnation and scrutiny.
Israel launches Operation Cast Lead
📅 27 December 2008Israeli airstrikes begin a military campaign in Gaza, followed by artillery and ground operations. OCHA retrospectively records extensive civilian deaths, injuries, destruction and displacement;...
Israeli ground offensive begins in Gaza
📅 3 January 2009Israeli ground forces enter Gaza following days of bombardment. The operation further restricts movement and access for civilians and humanitarian agencies.
Israeli ground forces withdraw from Gaza
📅 21 January 2009UN OCHA reports Israeli troops have withdrawn from the Gaza Strip and remain deployed along its border. Civilian needs and destruction assessments continue.
Goldstone fact-finding mission publishes Gaza findings
📅 15 September 2009The UN mission reports evidence of serious violations by Israeli forces and also finds that Palestinian armed groups committed war crimes through indiscriminate rocket and mortar attacks on southern...
Israeli forces intercept Gaza Freedom Flotilla
📅 31 May 2010Israeli forces board a humanitarian aid flotilla bound for Gaza in international waters; nine passengers are killed and many are injured. UN investigations later reach differing legal conclusions on...
Palestinian refugees demonstrate near Maroun al-Ras
📅 15 May 2011Thousands of predominantly Palestinian refugee demonstrators assembled near the Blue Line to commemorate the Nakba. Israeli fire killed demonstrators; the protest linked Palestinian return claims to...
Rockets launched from southern Lebanon toward Israel
📅 11 July 2014UNIFIL reported three rockets launched from the Ain Arab area toward Israel. The incident risked escalation; responsibility was not established in the UNIFIL account.
Further rockets fired across the Blue Line
📅 12 July 2014UNIFIL detected at least two rockets from the Qulaylah area toward northern Israel and reported Israeli artillery response. It called on both parties to avoid escalation.
UNIFIL reports third rocket incident within a week
📅 14 July 2014Three rockets were launched from near Qulaylah toward Israel; Israeli artillery returned fire near Zibqin. UNIFIL said no organisation had claimed responsibility and that the incident violated...
Cross-border exchanges resume after Gaza war begins
📅 8 October 2023Hezbollah and Israeli forces began exchanges of fire across the Blue Line. Hezbollah presented its operations as solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza; the fighting displaced civilians on both sides.
White phosphorus documented at Boustane
📅 15 October 2023Human Rights Watch verified footage of Israeli white phosphorus airbursts at Boustane on this date; the mayor said many villagers were still present. Civilian exposure and displacement became...
White phosphorus documented in southern villages
📅 12 November 2023Human Rights Watch identified visual evidence of white phosphorus use at Kafr Kila and Mays al-Jabal on this date. The evidence forms part of its investigation of civilian risks.
Further white phosphorus evidence at Kafr Kila
📅 14 January 2024Human Rights Watch identified another recorded use of white phosphorus in Kafr Kila. The repeated incidents contributed to allegations of unlawful use in populated areas.
Additional white phosphorus use at Kafr Kila
📅 31 January 2024Human Rights Watch cited imagery from this date as evidence of another white phosphorus incident in Kafr Kila. The organisation could not determine whether military targets were present.
White phosphorus incident documented in Markaba
📅 4 March 2024Verified imagery reviewed by Human Rights Watch showed white phosphorus use in Markaba. Concerns focused on proximity to civilian homes and risk of fires.
White phosphorus documented at Aita al-Chaab
📅 3 April 2024Human Rights Watch identified footage from Aita al-Chaab showing white phosphorus components landing on residential buildings. The incident contributed to its broader findings.
Iran launches direct missile and drone attack on Israel
📅 13 April 2024Iran launched drones and missiles toward Israel, describing the action as retaliation for the Damascus strike. Israel and partner forces intercepted most incoming projectiles; limited damage and...
Human Rights Watch publishes white phosphorus investigation
📅 5 June 2024Human Rights Watch reported evidence of white phosphorus munitions in 17 southern Lebanese municipalities since October 2023, including airbursts over populated areas in five.
Israeli air campaign sharply escalates
📅 23 September 2024Large-scale Israeli strikes across Lebanon caused mass casualties and displacement. UN humanitarian briefings reported an acute deterioration in civilian protection and emergency medical capacity.
Israeli ground incursions heighten border conflict
📅 30 September 2024UN Special Coordinator warned that Israeli incursions across the Blue Line and strikes throughout Lebanon were driving further escalation and undermining resolution 1701.
Iran launches another large missile attack on Israel
📅 1 October 2024Iran fired a large ballistic-missile salvo toward Israel, linking it to Israeli attacks on Iranian allies and senior figures. Israeli authorities reported interceptions and limited impacts; the...
Israel strikes Iranian military sites
📅 26 October 2024Israel attacked Iranian air-defence and missile-production targets. The exchange continued a cycle of retaliation while leaving open the prospect of a broader war. The weakening of air defences...
Civilians killed amid delayed Israeli withdrawal
📅 26 January 2025UN officials reported 15 people killed, including a Lebanese soldier, as civilians attempted to return to southern villages; the original withdrawal timetable was not met.
UN warns withdrawal remains incomplete
📅 18 February 2025The UN said Israel had not fully withdrawn south of the Blue Line, while acknowledging progress in Lebanese army deployments and civilian returns.
France calls for departure from five positions
📅 18 February 2025France noted Israeli forces remained in five positions on Lebanese territory and proposed that UNIFIL could replace them.
UNIFIL documents five remaining Israeli positions
📅 27 February 2025A UNIFIL briefing reported Israeli withdrawal from villages but continued military presence at five positions north of the Blue Line.
Rocket launches and Israeli strikes renew escalation fears
📅 22 March 2025Projectiles were fired from Lebanon into Israel and Israeli forces retaliated with strikes. Hezbollah denied involvement in the launches; attribution remained contested.
Israel opens the 12-day war with strikes across Iran
📅 13 June 2025Israel launched a surprise military campaign against Iran, striking military leadership, air defences, missile facilities and nuclear-related sites, including Natanz. Senior commanders and nuclear...
Iran launches its first retaliatory missile wave
📅 13 June 2025Iran began missile strikes against Israel after Israel’s opening attacks. Israeli air defences intercepted many incoming missiles, while some struck populated areas and caused deaths, injuries and...
Iran and Israel exchange further strikes
📅 14 June 2025Iran continued missile launches and Israel continued attacks inside Iran. Iranian strikes damaged residential areas in Israel, while Israeli strikes widened damage in Iranian cities and military...
Israeli attacks continue as civilians leave Tehran
📅 15 June 2025Strikes and missile launches continued. Evacuation warnings and fear prompted many residents to leave Tehran and other cities, while others had limited access to safe shelters. The burden fell on...
Missile exchanges continue amid evacuation warnings
📅 17 June 2025Israel issued evacuation warnings for parts of Tehran as it continued strikes; Iran continued missile attacks against Israel. Warnings do not remove the duty to distinguish civilians from military...
Israel strikes Evin prison in Tehran
📅 23 June 2025Israeli strikes hit Evin prison, a complex holding political prisoners as well as staff, visitors and others. Iranian authorities later reported at least 80 civilian deaths. Amnesty International’s...
Security Council extends UNIFIL for final term
📅 28 August 2025UN Security Council Resolution 2790 extended UNIFIL’s mandate through 31 December 2026 and demanded withdrawal from five Israeli-held positions in Lebanon.
Ali Khamenei killed in opening strikes
📅 28 February 2026Iran confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during the opening US-Israeli strikes. His killing was a major political and military rupture, but it did not end the Iranian state or the...
Iran retaliates against Israel and Gulf states
📅 28 February 2026Iran launched missile and drone attacks after the US-Israeli assault, targeting Israel and sites across several Gulf states. These actions widened the battlefield and put civilians and civilian...
Hezbollah launches rockets and drones; renewed war begins
📅 2 March 2026Hezbollah fired missiles and drones toward northern Israel, saying it was responding to US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Israel began large-scale strikes in Lebanon. The two sides gave different...
Hezbollah-Israel fighting widens the conflict into Lebanon
📅 2 March 2026Hezbollah entered the conflict with attacks on Israel. Israel responded with strikes in Lebanon and later expanded military operations there. Lebanese civilians became exposed to a related front,...
Strikes on gas infrastructure trigger Gulf energy escalation
📅 18 March 2026Israeli strikes hit Iran’s South Pars gas field and Asaluyeh energy hub. Iran then attacked energy facilities in Gulf states. The sequence widened the war to infrastructure sustaining public services,...
Israeli military reports more than 3,500 strikes
📅 6 April 2026By this date Israel said it had struck more than 3,500 Hezbollah-related targets since 2 March. These are IDF claims, not independently verified totals.
Intense Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon
📅 8 April 2026The IDF launched what the UK government bulletin describes as its heaviest day of strikes, reporting more than 100 targets. Casualty figures attributed to parties remain contested.
Reuters documents conditions in West Zawtar
📅 8 October 2026Reuters published reporting from West Zawtar about displaced residents, damaged infrastructure, Israeli surveillance and continuing demolition nearby. This is a reporting milestone.