Israeli ground forces have crossed over to southern Lebanon for a "limited, localised and targeted" ground operation, marking a major escalation in its offensive against Hezbollah militants. The move has opened a new front in Israel’s yearlong conflict with its Iran-backed adversaries. Earlier, BBC reported, "Hezbollah's deputy leader Naim Qassem said the group was ready for an Israeli ground offensive and that the battle 'may be long'".
According to the Associated Press (AP), the raids follow heavy blows inflicted by Israel on Hezbollah in recent weeks, including an airstrike that killed its longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
Israel aims to increase pressure on the group, which began firing rockets into northern Israel after the start of the war in Gaza. Israel and Hezbollah have engaged in ground combat before. Their monthlong war in 2006 ended in a stalemate, as per AP.
The Israeli military said in a brief statement it had begun “limited, localised and targeted ground raids” against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. “These targets are located in villages close to the border and pose an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel,” it said, reported AP.
As per a Reuters report, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also sought to send a message to Iranians on Monday, saying there was nowhere in the Middle East beyond Israel's reach. "There is nowhere in the Middle East Israel cannot reach. There is nowhere we will not go to protect our people and protect our country," Netanyahu said, as per Reuters.
He said the Iranian government was bringing Iranians "closer to the abyss". Iran and Israel would be at peace when Iran is "finally free", which he said would happen "a lot sooner than people think".
According to AP, there is no indication of how long this operation will last, but Israel has said it will continue to strike the group until it is safe for displaced Israelis from border communities to return to their homes in northern Israel. The army has said that soldiers had been training and preparing for the mission in recent months.
Intensifying Battle Between Israel And Hezbollah
Before Israel’s announcement, United States officials reported that Israel had conducted small ground raids within Lebanon. As per AP, Israel has designated three small border communities as a “closed military zone”, restricting access to military personnel only.
No direct clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah were reported. But throughout the evening, Israeli artillery units pounded targets in southern Lebanon and the sounds of airstrikes were heard throughout Beirut. Smoke rose from the southern suburbs of the capital, where Hezbollah has a stronghold, shortly after Israel ordered residents of three neighbourhoods to evacuate, reported AP.
Israel's ground operation marks a new and potentially risky phase of fighting. It threatens further devastation in Lebanon, where hundreds have been killed in recent Israeli strikes and hundreds of thousands have been displaced, the AP report noted.
Hezbollah is a well-trained militia, believed to have tens of thousands of fighters and an arsenal of 150,000 rockets and missiles. While Hezbollah has amassed a formidable arsenal, Israel has heavily invested in training and gathering intelligence. Recent attacks on Hezbollah’s top commanders and the explosions of hundreds of pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to Hezbollah members indicate that Israel has deeply infiltrated the militant group’s upper ranks.
On Monday, Hezbollah vowed to keep fighting even after its recent losses. The group’s acting leader, Naim Qassem, said in a televised statement that Hezbollah would be ready for a ground operation. He said commanders killed in recent weeks had already been replaced. The man widely expected to take over the top post from Qassem is Hashem Safieddine, a cousin of Nasrallah who oversees Hezbollah’s political affairs.
Despite Israel's onslaught, the militant group has continued to launch rockets and missiles into Israel and is still believed to have thousands of fighters near the Israeli border.
Hezbollah has few air defences, giving the Israeli air force freedom of action over Lebanon’s skies, AP noted. However, ground combat might be difficult for Israel as Hezbollah forces are reportedly embedded and hiding in local communities and also know the local terrain.
Israeli leaders for years have accused Hezbollah of hiding weapons and fighters inside homes and other civilian structures in border villages. According to the AP report, Hezbollah may be holding back to save resources for a bigger battle.
The stepped-up action against Hezbollah also raises the risk of a broader region-wide war as Israel confronts a series of foes backed by archenemy Iran, the report added.