Israeli army has launched ground offensive in Lebanon

2024-10-01 00:24:05

The Israeli army launched the announced ground offensive in Lebanon on Tuesday night. It was about limited attacks on Hezbollah targets in the country’s southern border region, it said in a statement. These would pose an immediate danger to the population of northern Israel. The ground troops also receive support from the Israeli air force and artillery. Israel had previously informed Washington about the upcoming operations.

A few hours ago they began “limited, localized and targeted ground attacks based on precise intelligence information against Hezbollah terrorist targets and infrastructure in southern Lebanon,” the army said on Platform X. The targets of Operation “North Arrow” were military facilities of the pro-Iranian Shiite militia, which were located in villages near the border. The action is taking place in parallel with the ongoing fighting in the Gaza Strip and other areas. Israeli military sources said they would continue the operation depending on how the situation developed.

The army is doing everything necessary to defend the citizens of Israel and return the citizens of northern Israel to their homes. The operation will continue in parallel with the fighting in the Gaza Strip against Hamas and in other areas. The soldiers have been trained for the mission over the past few months. Israel wants to allow the return of 60,000 Israelis who have been displaced from areas along the border by Hezbollah attacks for months.

Rockets also flew into Israel early Tuesday morning. The army said on Telegram that around ten shells had been intercepted in the Meron area in northern Israel. Some crashed in open areas. In addition, air defense recently intercepted a drone dozens of kilometers off the coast of central Israel, it said.

The conflict between Israel and the Shiite Hezbollah militia in Lebanon had recently escalated dramatically. The Israeli military has been massively attacking targets in the neighboring country for days, including Hezbollah weapons depots. Lebanon reported hundreds of deaths and injuries. On Friday, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other Hezbollah fighters were killed in a targeted Israeli airstrike.

According to a report by the Israeli broadcaster Kan, an offensive is primarily aimed at facilities belonging to Hezbollah’s elite units. A ground offensive is not aimed at conquering territory, but at destroying military targets.

According to the US government, Israel had informed the USA about limited military operations on the Lebanese border. Israel said the operations were focused on “Hezbollah’s infrastructure near the border,” said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.

Hezbollah has also been firing hundreds of rockets at Israel on some days since the intense fighting began again. After the Gaza war broke out, the militia opened its so-called “Solidarity Front” and fired thousands of rockets into Israel. She doesn’t want to lay down her weapons until the war in the Gaza Strip ends.

Tens of thousands of Lebanese fled their villages and cities. Many are waiting in the capital Beirut and, due to the lack of accommodation, are sometimes sleeping on mattresses on the coastal promenade of the Mediterranean city. The latest escalation is likely to bring back memories of the last war between Israel and Hezbollah 18 years ago for many of the country’s approximately nine million residents.

Before the Israeli ground offensive began, the Lebanese army had withdrawn soldiers from the border, according to military sources. The German Press Agency learned from Lebanese army circles that some soldiers had been withdrawn from the so-called Blue Line. Lebanon is heavily indebted, and the regular armed forces are therefore underfinanced and generally weak. They lack resources, the equipment is outdated, and even food is sometimes scarce. According to some observers, the army currently exists only thanks to US military aid, which has totaled more than $3 billion since 2006.

On Monday, the leadership of the Islamist militia spoke out for the first time since Nasrallah was killed and signaled their willingness to fight. “We know the fight could be long and are prepared for all possibilities,” Hezbollah deputy chief Naim Kassim said in a televised speech. “If Israel decides to launch a ground offensive: we are ready.” He did not say who would lead Hezbollah.

Hezbollah and the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip belong to the so-called “Axis of Resistance,” a network supported by the leadership in Tehran in the fight against arch-enemy Israel.

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