Israeli militia launched small ground raids against Hezbollah and sealed off communities along its northern border on Monday, as Israeli artillery shelled southern Lebanon and signs grew that more forces could be sent across the border to fight against Hezbollah. militants backed by Iran.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Israel informed the US about the raids, which he described as limited operations focused on Hezbollah infrastructure near the border.
There were no reports of direct clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbol militants, who engaged in fighting on Lebanese soil during a month-long war in 2006.
However, a Western diplomat in Cairo, whose country is directly involved in de-escalation efforts, stated that an Israeli ground operation in Lebanon is imminent. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, said Israel had shared its plans with the US and other Western allies, and conveyed that the operation would be limited.
Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged fire almost every day since the war in Gaza began, displacing tens of thousands of people in Israel and Lebanon.
Israel says it will continue attacking Hezbol until it is safe for families to return to their homes near the border with Lebanon. Hezbol has vowed to continue firing rockets into Israel until there is a ceasefire in Gaza.
It was unclear whether Israel had made a final decision on a broader ground operation in Lebanon. The Israeli army radio station reported that a Cabinet meeting concluded late on Monday, with Netanyahu continuing consultations with security officials.
Hezbollah vowed Monday to keep fighting even after its longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and other top officials were recently eliminated by Israeli strikes.
The group’s interim leader, Naim Kassem, said in a televised statement that if Israel decides to launch a ground offensive, Hezbollah is prepared.
Furthermore, he stated that the commanders killed in recent weeks have already been replaced.
The man expected to take over Kassem’s top job is Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah’s cousin and head of Hezbol’s political affairs.
Israel’s order restricting entry and exit from the northern communities of Metula, Misgav Am and Kfar Giladi does not necessarily mean that Israeli troops will immediately invade Lebanon. Areas may also be declared closed military zones if an imminent threat is detected.
However, the army has significantly strengthened its forces along the border in recent days, and commanders have said they are prepared to enter Lebanon if ordered.
Chris Coyle, a resident of northern Israel, said the army has erected gates and checkpoints throughout the region and positioned dozens of tanks along the border in recent days. They are certainly preparing to enter, he stated.
Near the Golan Heights, an Associated Press reporter heard Israeli artillery fire and explosions in southern Lebanon. Israeli forces also fired flares toward Lebanon.
Likewise, another AP reporter in the town of Marjayoun, in southern Lebanon, reported sounds of intense shelling and explosions, as well as occasional airstrikes coming from areas closer to the border.
Israeli strikes in recent weeks have hit what the military claims are thousands of militant targets in large parts of Lebanon.
More than 1,000 people have died in Lebanon in the last two weeks, almost a quarter of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry.
Early on Monday, an airstrike hit a residential building in central Beirut, killing three Palestinian militants, as Israel appeared to send a message that no part of Lebanon is off-limits.
