JERUSALEM/ISTANBUL 

‏The Israeli army has inaugurated a new training compound in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights that it says is designed to mimic the environment of southern Lebanon in preparation for potential conflict along the northern front. 

‏The site, dubbed the “Lebanon facility,” was officially unveiled on Sunday. The military said it was designed to simulate realistic conditions for troops operating in dense, urban terrain, similar to what they would encounter in southern Lebanon. 

‏According to the army, the complex features single-story homes, four-story apartment blocks, narrow alleys, and a network of tunnels. Some areas have been deliberately reduced to rubble to resemble bombed-out neighborhoods, allowing soldiers to train in spaces resembling war-damaged villages. 

‏Military officials said design enables a range of exercises, from small infantry drills to large, combined operations involving multiple units simultaneously. 

‏The first tactical exercise at the facility was held last week with the participation of the 7th and 401st brigades and the army’s commando school. The drill simulated a joint maneuver in which infantry and armored forces advanced together to seize control of the mock village. 

Israel launched military operations in Lebanon on Oct. 8, 2023, which escalated into a full-scale war by September 2024, killing more than 4,000 people, including Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, and injuring around 17,000. 

A ceasefire was reached in November, but Israeli forces have conducted near-daily attacks in southern Lebanon, claiming to target activities of the Hezbollah group. 

Under the truce, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Tel Aviv refused to comply. Israel still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.