Israel says it has foiled one of the most serious ground incursions of the Iran war so far, arresting around 200 suspected terrorists in a sweeping overnight operation along its northern frontiers with Lebanon and Syria.

According to the IDF, elite units backed by drones and signals‑intelligence teams from Unit 8200 tracked multiple Iran‑backed cells mᴀssing in border villages and safe houses, allegedly preparing coordinated infiltrations into Israeli territory to hit civilian communities and military outposts.

Just after midnight, helicopters, armoured vehicles and undercover units moved in simultaneously on more than a dozen locations. Night‑vision footage released by the army shows commandos storming compounds, suspects forced to the ground at gunpoint, and weapons stashes piled with rifles, RPGs, explosives belts and Iranian‑made anti‑tank missiles.

Military spokespeople say the detainees include “platoon‑level commanders” from Hezbollah and other Tehran‑aligned factions, along with couriers carrying detailed maps of Israeli kibbutzim, roads and power infrastructure. Interrogators believe the cells were meant to launch a multi‑pronged “shock raid” designed to grab hostages and shatter civilian morale.

In border towns that spent the night in shelters, the mood is a mix of relief and anger. Residents hail the arrests as proof intelligence is still one step ahead—but demand answers on how 200 militants and their arsenals got so close in the first place.

For Jerusalem, the operation is being framed as a “big win” in a grinding conflict: a reminder, officials say, that while missiles and drones dominate the headlines, the war on the ground is now just metres from Israel’s fence—and one missed warning away from disaster.