98th Division
IDF division deployed to southern Lebanon during the 2026 conflict.
Last refreshed: 12 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Why is Israel still striking Lebanon while nuclear talks are under way?
Latest on 98th Division
- What is the Israeli 98th Division?
- A reserve division of the Israeli Ground Forces deployed to southern Lebanon during the 2026 conflict.Source: iran-conflict-2026 update 66
Background
The 98th Division was operating in southern Lebanon when IDF strikes killed 18 people on 12 April 2026, the same day the Islamabad nuclear talks concluded. Thirteen of those killed were in the village of Tefayta alone. Iran had listed Lebanon as a precondition at Islamabad; the strikes underscored that IDF operations were continuing independently of the diplomatic track.
The 98th Division is a reserve division within the Israeli Ground Forces. Reserve divisions have been central to IDF deployments in Lebanon since the 2006 war, when ground operations revealed gaps in reserve readiness that were subsequently addressed. The 98th operates alongside the regular 36th Armoured Division and 91st Division, which had both deployed to the southern Lebanon theatre in earlier phases of the conflict.
The use of reserve divisions in sustained Lebanon operations reflects the scale of the IDF's multi-front commitment in 2026: Gaza, Lebanon, and periodic strikes inside Iran simultaneously. Reserve activations at divisional scale place significant economic and social pressure on Israeli society, a factor that shapes domestic debate over the duration of operations.
