Israel says it has launched a ‘targeted ground attack’ on Lebanon | Conflict Matters

The military described the attack as ‘limited, localized and targeted’ and supported by air and artillery forces.

The Israeli military says it has begun “targeted ground attacks” on villages in southern Lebanon.

The attack, supported by airstrikes and artillery, began “a few hours ago”, targeting Hezbollah in “towns near the border” of Israel, according to a statement issued on Tuesday by the army.

It added that the attack was “limited, localized and targeted” against Hezbollah.

The attack came shortly after it was approved by Israeli political leaders and marked a new stage in Israel’s war with Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group. Hezbollah launched a series of airstrikes on Israeli territory a day after Israel launched its war on Gaza last October following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.

Earlier on Monday, US officials said Israel attacked Hezbollah and sealed off communities along the northern border on Monday as Israeli artillery pounded southern Lebanon.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Israel had notified the US of the attack, which he described as “limited operations targeting Hezbollah infrastructure near the border.”

The sounds of airstrikes were heard across the Lebanese capital, Beirut, and smoke billowed from its southern suburbs, which are Hezbollah strongholds, shortly after Israel ordered residents of three buildings to evacuate.

There have been no reports of direct clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah terrorists, who last engaged in ground fighting during a month-long war in 2006.

Tens of thousands of people on both sides have fled their homes in the past year.

Last week, Israel intensified its attacks on Hezbollah, targeting the group’s leadership in Lebanon.

On Friday, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed during an Israeli airstrike in a suburb south of Beirut. Israel also killed many other Lebanese armed group commanders.

Hezbollah continued to fire rockets and missiles at Israeli targets.

On Monday, in the group’s first radio broadcast since the assassination of Nasrallah, Hezbollah Deputy Head Naim Qassem said they are ready for any possible attack on Israel and a long war.

When asked about reports that Israel is preparing a “limited” ground attack on Lebanon, United States President Joe Biden called for a ceasefire.

Asked if he was comfortable with Israel’s plan, Biden replied: “I’m comfortable if they stop.”

However, he did not elaborate on any plans to end the conflict, or discuss US supplies of weapons and military aid to its ally Israel.

More than 100,000 people have fled to Syria from Lebanon since the conflict escalated this month.

The acting Prime Minister of Lebanon, Najib Mikati, said that the government is ready to fully implement the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 of 2006, which aimed to end the presence of armed Hezbollah south of the Litani River as part of the ceasefire agreement with Israel.