Israel has ramped up strikes ahead of ground operations. (Image: Getty)
The military launched small ground raids against and sealed off communities in the north on Monday as Israeli artillery pounded southern with more than 100 IDF vehicles including tanks massed at the border.
has since issued immediate evacuations orders for civilians living within 500 meters of three buildings in the Dahieh district of southern Beirut.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said informed the US about special forces raids into Lebanon. described them as “limited operations focused on Hezbollah infrastructure near the border,” per Miller.
There were no reports of direct clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah militants, who last engaged in ground combat on Lebanese soil during a monthlong war in 2006.
But a Western diplomat in Cairo whose country is directly involved in de-escalation efforts said an Israeli ground operation in Lebanon is “imminent.” The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, said had shared its plans with the US and other Western allies, and conveyed the operation will “be limited.”
Hezbollah and have exchanged fire daily since the war began in Gaza on October 7 last year, although not to the extent that is currently occurring. The escalation has stoked fears of a broader conflict that could devastate the Middle East.
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IDF dismantle Hezbollah surface-to-air missile launcher storage facility
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) say they have dismantled a Hezbollah surface-to-air missile launcher storage facility approximately 1.5 kilometres from Beirut’s international airport in a precise airstrike.
The IDF claimed the missile infrastructure posed a threat not only to Lebanese airspace but also to international flights.
This strike was part of ’s ongoing efforts to weaken Hezbollah’s military capabilities in Lebanon amid rising tensions.
IDF confirm Fateh Sherif’s death
The IDF has confirmed that Fateh Sherif, the head of the Lebanon branch of the Hamas terrorist organisation, was killed in a targeted airstrike by the Israeli Air Force (IAF).
Sherif was reportedly involved in coordinating Hamas’ activities in Lebanon with Hezbollah, as well as recruiting new members and securing weapons for Hamas in the region.
Israel issues immediate evacuation order
has issued immediate evacuations order for civilians living within 500 meters of three buildings in the Dahieh district of southern Beirut.
IDF spokesperson said: “Urgent warning to the residents of the southern suburbs of Beirut.
“To all those present in the buildings specified in the specified maps and the buildings adjacent to them in the following neighborhoods: Lilac, Haret Hreik, Burj Al-Barajneh.
“You are located near interests and facilities belonging to the terrorist Hezbollah, and therefore the IDF will act against them forcefully.
“For your safety and the safety of your family, you must evacuate the buildings immediately, starting at a distance of no less than 500 meters.”
Israel special forces cross into Lebanon ahead of possible ground invasion
special forces have today crossed the border into Lebanon, with elite troops entering Hezbollah tunnels.
It comes ahead of a possible wider ground invasion later this week.
An Israeli official said they were targeting Hezbollah infrastructure, including weapons sites and command and control centres, in a bid to push the militants away from the Israeli border.
The official said: “They are targeting key sites which have been built across the border zone.
“The question now is what the US will do, and I just hope the US doesn’t get involved and pull us back.”