The Israel Defense Forces has started what it called a "targeted and demarcated" ground invasion of southern Lebanon, an incursion that comes on the heels of the previous week's aerial bombardment of Beirut and eastern Lebanon, which resulted in the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
The ground invasion, which started late Monday night, Sept. 30, was preceded by heavy bombardment, air strikes and drone strikes. A statement from the IDF announced that it was targeting villages in localized raids close to the border that "pose an immediate and real threat to Israeli settlements on the northern border."
The invasion, known as Operation Northern Arrows, is mostly being handled by the IDF Ground Forces and supported by the Israeli Air Force.
Lebanese troops retreated five kilometers (3.10 miles) from their positions on the southern border early on Monday while the Israeli military announced three areas in northern Israel as "closed military zones."
In a public address on Monday, Hezbollah Deputy Leader Sheikh Naim Qassem declared that they remain defiant in the face of the invasion. "We are quite ready, if the Israelis want a ground incursion, the resistance forces are ready for that," he said.
Based on open-source imagery, Israeli tanks and soldiers have been gathering at the northern border for days in preparation for the invasion. The IDF has also been carrying out commando-style raids against Hezbollah inside Lebanon, which analysts state are geared toward laying the groundwork for a bigger deployment of forces.
Hezbollah, a Lebanese militia and political party supported by Iran, started firing at Israel on Oct. 8 in support of Gaza, which Israel invaded in retaliation for the Oct. 7 attack.
The group has been trading attacks with Israel ever since, displacing tens of thousands of people on both sides of the Lebanon-Israel border.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted previously that the nation was embarking on a new phase in the war, one concentrated on guaranteeing the return of displaced citizens in northern Israel back to their homes. (Related: Israel’s recent attacks on Hezbollah communications devices signal possible ground invasion of Lebanon.)
Israel warned U.S. officials about its plans for a ground invasion
An American official stationed in the region said in an interview with the Middle East Eye that Israeli officials warned the United States about their plan to begin a ground invasion.
The Department of State on Monday confirmed that it knows that Israel is performing a supposedly "limited" ground operation in southern Lebanon.
"This is what they have informed us that they are currently conducting, which are limited operations targeting Hezbollah infrastructure near the border," said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.
The U.S. intends to pursue diplomatic solutions for an end to the conflict and is currently attempting to broker a ceasefire.
President Joe Biden announced on Monday that he wanted a "ceasefire now" although America has taken additional steps to strengthen its military position.
The Department of Defense said the U.S. will send to the Middle East "a few thousand" more troops.
Follow WWIII.news for more stories about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Lebanon.
Watch the video below about Israel deploying troops near its border with Lebanon.
This video is from the The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Israel calls for ethnic cleansing of "Shia enemy population" in southern Lebanon.
Sources include:
Please contact us for more information.