20 Years Later: Secret Second Lebanon War Documents Made Public

Marking 20 years since the Second Lebanon War, the IDF Spokesperson released newly declassified documents this morning (Sunday) from the early days of the conflict, including the operational order for Operation "Worthy Reward" and an IDF statement issued during the war announcing the expansion of the ground offensive toward the Litani River.

The Second Lebanon War began on July 12, 2006, after Hezbollah launched a cross-border attack in northern Israel, abducting two IDF soldiers: Staff Sgt. Ehud (Udi) Goldwasser and Staff Sgt. Eldad Regev. Once it became clear that the kidnappers had crossed deep into Lebanese territory, then-IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz ordered efforts to bring the soldiers back, and Israeli forces launched a military response. The war lasted 34 days and ended on August 14, 2006, when a ceasefire took effect. Throughout the conflict, the IDF carried out operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

The newly released operational order outlines several key objectives for IDF forces, including striking Hezbollah terror infrastructure, targeting terrorists and operatives involved in the fighting, securing strategic areas, and disrupting the organization's military capabilities.

Alongside the operational order, the IDF also published an official statement from August 12, 2006, announcing the expansion of ground operations toward the Litani River. According to the statement, the objective was to reduce Hezbollah's rocket attacks on Israel and inflict further damage on the terrorist organization.