Israel has escalated its ongoing conflict with Hezbollah by launching what it describes as “limited, localized, and targeted ground raids” in southern Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said these operations are aimed at Hezbollah’s “infrastructure” that poses an immediate threat to communities in northern Israel. This marks a significant intensification in the conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed group.
Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, hinted earlier that the army was prepared for ground action. He told soldiers near the Lebanese border that Israel would use all available means—air, sea, and land—to target Hezbollah. Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s deputy leader expressed readiness for any Israeli incursion into Lebanon.
The Israeli military confirmed that its troops crossed into Lebanon after a buildup of tanks and armored vehicles in northern Israel. The Lebanese army is reportedly pulling back its soldiers stationed near the southern border by about 5 kilometers, according to a Lebanese security source cited by Reuters.
Gallant addressed Israeli soldiers, saying that all necessary actions would be taken to allow people in northern Israel, displaced due to the conflict, to return home. He emphasized the need to take strong measures, including the potential elimination of Hezbollah’s leadership.
For over a year, fighting across the Israel-Lebanon border has displaced tens of thousands of people. The violence initially began when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel during the early stages of the war in Gaza.
Hezbollah, known for its extensive military infrastructure, including tunnels and bunkers near the border, has shown no signs of backing down. The group, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., UK, and several other countries, is prepared for a prolonged conflict. Hezbollah’s deputy chief, Sheikh Naim Qassem, said that their current actions are just the “minimum” and that the battle could last for a while.
In recent days, Hezbollah has suffered mass casualties due to Israeli strikes, which have included the use of bunker-busting bombs. On Friday, Israeli forces killed Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in an airstrike on Beirut. On Monday night, Israeli airstrikes lit up the sky in southern Beirut, targeting Hezbollah’s stronghold of Dahieh. The strikes followed warnings from the Israeli military for residents to evacuate buildings linked to Hezbollah.
Elsewhere in Lebanon, heavy shelling has been reported in the border town of Aita al-Shaab, and in the city of Sidon, a strike hit a building inside a crowded Palestinian refugee camp. This marks the first time such a camp has been attacked in this conflict.
Lebanese authorities report that more than 1,000 people have died over the past two weeks, and up to one million may now be displaced.
On the international front, U.S. President Joe Biden has called for an immediate ceasefire. When asked about his views on Israeli plans for a ground incursion into Lebanon, Biden said he was comfortable with the idea of stopping the fighting.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken have also been in talks, with both stressing the need for a ceasefire. They also emphasized the importance of returning the hostages taken by Hezbollah’s ally, Hamas, during the attack on Israel on October 7th.
The European Union has urged the UN Security Council to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the situation. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned that further military intervention could drastically worsen the situation, which needs to be avoided.
Meanwhile, Israel confirmed the killing of Fateh Sherif Abu el-Amin, a senior Hamas leader in Lebanon, during strikes in southern Lebanon. The IDF stated that Sherif was responsible for coordinating Hamas’s activities with Hezbollah.
Another Israeli airstrike in the Kola neighborhood of central Beirut killed three members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a Palestinian armed group. Among those killed were military commanders Mohammad Abdel-Aal and Imad Odeh.
The conflict, which began after the deadly attack on Israel by Hamas militants on October 7th, has escalated into a broader regional crisis. Cross-border clashes between Hezbollah and Israel have grown more intense since then, and the violence shows no signs of abating soon.
