Israel invades southern Lebanon – Hezbollah ready to fight

With Israel launching a ground offensive against the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon during the night, the situation in the Middle East has reached a new level of escalation. The Israeli army spoke of “limited” attacks on targets near the border, calling them an immediate threat to communities in northern Israel. Israel’s air force also bombed targets near the Lebanese capital Beirut again late in the evening. The situation in Lebanon is dramatic: According to Lebanese information, almost 100 people died in the country within 24 hours. Meanwhile, rockets were flying towards Israel again.

Ground forces supported by air force and artillery

Israel’s army said on These targets of the pro-Iranian Shiite militia were located in villages near the border and posed an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel.

The Israeli Air Force and artillery supported ground forces with precision strikes on military targets in the area. 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.

Hezbollah appeared ready to fight

On Monday, the leadership of the Islamist militia spoke out for the first time after the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah 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.

Rockets and drones also towards Israel

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. According to its own account, Hezbollah attacked Israeli soldiers near the southern border. It was said in the evening that they were moving in fruit groves near the border on the Israeli side. There were also casualties on the Israeli side as a result of the attacks.

The conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah militia had recently worsened 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.

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.

Attacks also near Beirut and in Syria

The Israeli Air Force also bombed targets again near the Lebanese capital Beirut. A reporter from the German Press Agency reported at least seven serious explosions and tremors in a southern suburb in the evening. An Israeli army spokesman had previously called on residents of Beirut’s southern suburbs to leave their homes and apartments via social media.

According to a media report, three people were killed in an Israeli air strike on the Syrian capital Damascus. Three civilians were killed and nine others were injured in attacks on several locations in the city, Syria’s state news agency Sana reported early Tuesday morning, citing a military source.

USA is making adjustments in view of the tense situation in the Middle East

The ground offensive was expected. According to the US government, Israel had informed Washington about limited military operations on the Lebanese border. Israel said these were “limited operations” focused on “Hezbollah’s infrastructure near the border,” said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. Before the Israeli ground offensive began, the Lebanese army had withdrawn soldiers from the border, according to military sources. Several areas in northern Israel have been declared restricted military areas.

The Pentagon said in the evening that it would align its military capabilities in the Middle East accordingly in view of the current situation. “We have increased the readiness of additional US forces to respond to various contingencies,” said spokeswoman Sabrina Singh. Accordingly, troops already stationed in the Middle East would remain in action longer. Troops originally intended to replace them would be called in to provide further reinforcement. It is particularly about defense from the air.

The situation in Lebanon is dramatic

Tens of thousands of Lebanese fled their villages and cities. Many are holding out in the capital Beirut. 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. The United Nations had warned Israel urgently against a ground offensive.

Embassy staff flown out

In view of the worsening situation, an air force plane flew embassy staff out of Beirut. According to the Foreign Office, there were around 110 passengers on board the Bundeswehr machine. She landed in Berlin at the capital’s BER airport in the evening, as a spokeswoman for the Foreign Office confirmed. Great Britain chartered a plane for its citizens to leave the country, which is scheduled to take off on Wednesday.