Israel has launched a ground invasion in southern Lebanon, in what it has described as “limited, localised and targeted” raids against Hezbollah.
Lebanese civilians are being warned not to use vehicles to travel south across the Litani river, located 20 miles north of the Israel-Lebanon border, and residents in around 25 villages have been told to evacuate and head north.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the operation is aimed at the Iran-backed group’s “infrastructure”, which it says poses “an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel”.
An Israeli senior security official told the BBC earlier that ground forces had only ventured a “very close walking distance” into Lebanon, but Hezbollah deny claims that troops are in the country.
The militant group said its fighters were “ready for a direct confrontation” but there had been no direct clashes between them and Israeli forces, a claim confirmed to the BBC by an Israeli source.
Hezbollah has also claimed to have fired at the headquarters of Mossad, the international arm of Israel’s intelligence service, in Tel Aviv.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon are continuing.
Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant previously implied the army was ready for a ground operation, telling troops near the Lebanese border Israel was prepared to use forces “from the air, sea and land” to target Hezbollah.
In a statement posted on XÂ at 02:00 local time on Tuesday morning, the IDF confirmed troops had moved across the border following a build-up of tanks and other armour in northern Israel.
The Lebanese army is pulling back troops stationed on its southern border to at least 5km (3 miles) north, according to Reuters news agency, which cited a Lebanese security source.
Lebanon’s prime minister, Najib Mikati, said on Tuesday that his country was facing “one of the most dangerous phases” in its history.
Credit: bbc.com
