Israel Launches Ground Offensive in Lebanon Against Hezbollah \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Israel launched a ground offensive into southern Lebanon early Tuesday, marking a significant escalation in its ongoing conflict with Hezbollah. The offensive aims to intensify pressure on the militant group following weeks of devastating airstrikes, including the killing of Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Israel’s move is a new, risky phase in its yearlong war against its Iranian-backed adversaries, with the potential to draw in other regional actors and escalate into a wider conflict.
Israel’s Ground Offensive in Lebanon: Quick Looks
- Israeli Forces Enter Lebanon: Ground forces launched a new front in the conflict against Hezbollah, moving into southern Lebanon.
- Targeted Attacks on Hezbollah: Israel has intensified its strikes, targeting Hezbollah positions near the border.
- Response to Hezbollah Rocket Attacks: Hezbollah has vowed to continue firing rockets into Israel as fighting escalates.
- Historical Context: This is the first major Israeli ground operation against Hezbollah since the 2006 war.
- International Reactions: France and the U.S. have called for a cease-fire, while some European nations are evacuating their citizens from Lebanon.
Deep Look
Israel initiated a significant escalation in its conflict with Hezbollah early Tuesday as ground forces moved into southern Lebanon, opening a new front in what has become a prolonged conflict with Iranian-backed adversaries. The incursion follows weeks of heavy Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah positions, culminating in the assassination of its longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah. This new move marks the first instance of ground combat between the two sides since the 2006 war.
Ground Offensive Launched Against Hezbollah
The Israeli military, in a brief statement, confirmed it had started “limited, localized, and targeted ground raids” against Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon. According to the Israeli Defense Forces, these targets were located in villages close to the Israeli border, posing an immediate threat to communities in northern Israel. The military provided no specific timeline for the operation but noted that soldiers had been training and preparing for such missions over the past several months.
In the hours leading up to the incursion, U.S. officials had hinted at the possibility of Israeli ground raids in Lebanon. In anticipation of the ground operation, Israel also declared three small border communities as a “closed military zone,” restricting access to military personnel only.
While there were no immediate reports of direct clashes between Israeli soldiers and Hezbollah militants, throughout the night, Israeli artillery pounded Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, and airstrikes could be heard across Beirut. Residents of the capital’s southern suburbs, an area heavily associated with Hezbollah, reported smoke rising after Israeli forces ordered the evacuation of three residential buildings.
Escalating Risks and High Stakes for Israel and Lebanon
Israel’s decision to send ground troops into Lebanon represents a risky escalation. The ground operation is a calculated but dangerous step aimed at crippling Hezbollah’s military capability. However, it also threatens to deepen Lebanon’s humanitarian crisis, which has already seen over 1,000 deaths in the past two weeks—nearly a quarter of which were women and children, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
Hezbollah is known for being a well-trained and well-equipped militia, with an estimated 150,000 rockets and missiles, and tens of thousands of fighters. The last significant combat between Israel and Hezbollah, a monthlong conflict in 2006, ended in a stalemate, with both sides suffering considerable losses. Since then, both Israel and Hezbollah have spent years preparing for a potential rematch, each building up resources and refining their strategies. Recent airstrikes by Israel, which eliminated most of Hezbollah’s senior leadership, suggest Israel has successfully infiltrated Hezbollah at high levels, possibly leaving the group vulnerable and disorganized.
Hezbollah’s acting leader, Naim Kassem, vowed to continue the fight even after the group’s recent losses. In a televised statement Monday, he affirmed that Hezbollah would be prepared for a ground battle and that commanders lost in recent weeks had already been replaced. The man expected to assume Hezbollah’s top leadership role is Hashem Safieddine, a cousin of Nasrallah, who currently oversees Hezbollah’s political affairs.
A Renewed Focus on Lebanon
Since the start of Israel’s renewed conflict with Hezbollah, Israeli airstrikes have targeted thousands of alleged militant positions across Lebanon. On Monday, an airstrike in central Beirut killed three Palestinian militants, a signal from Israel that no part of Lebanon is beyond its reach. Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel immediately following Hamas’s cross-border attack from Gaza on October 7, which led to the deaths of 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of 250 others. Israel declared war on Hamas in response, and the subsequent escalation has kept Hezbollah engaged, leading to daily exchanges of rocket fire between Israel and Hezbollah since.
As Israel’s operations against Hamas have scaled back in recent weeks, focus has shifted northward, with intensified efforts aimed at Hezbollah. Israeli leaders have said they will continue to strike Hezbollah targets until it is safe for Israelis who fled northern border communities to return home. They have also emphasized the need for Hezbollah to implement the United Nations resolution that ended the 2006 war, which required the group to withdraw at least 20 miles (30 kilometers) from the Israeli border.
Hezbollah’s Recent Setbacks and Unclear Capabilities
Despite its vow to fight on, Hezbollah has faced significant setbacks in recent weeks. In addition to Nasrallah’s assassination, a series of mysterious explosions—believed to have been orchestrated by Israeli intelligence—killed or wounded hundreds of Hezbollah members, including many senior commanders. These targeted attacks suggest that Israel has achieved significant infiltration into Hezbollah’s ranks, compromising the group’s operational capabilities.
Still, Hezbollah has continued its rocket attacks, launching missiles into northern Israel and retaining a significant presence near the border. Hezbollah’s strategy may be to conserve resources for a more extended conflict, but the extent of their capabilities remains uncertain. With many of their top leaders killed and their infrastructure heavily targeted, it is possible the group is in disarray.
European countries have responded to the escalating situation by beginning evacuations of their citizens from Lebanon. On Monday, Germany deployed a military plane to evacuate diplomats’ relatives and other citizens, while Bulgaria sent a government jet to remove its citizens from the region.
A Long and Complex History in Lebanon
Israel has a long and bloody history of military operations in Lebanon. It first invaded in 1978 as part of an operation against Palestinian militants and invaded again in 1982, which led to an 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon. This latest escalation is reminiscent of those earlier incursions, with the potential for prolonged ground engagement and significant regional consequences.
The current conflict also raises the risk of a broader war in the Middle East. Iran, a key backer of both Hezbollah and Hamas, has been closely monitoring the situation. This week, Israel carried out an airstrike in Yemen targeting the Houthi militia, who are also backed by Iran, following a series of missile attacks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Iran that Israel is capable of striking anywhere in the Middle East, raising the stakes even further.
The United States and its allies, including France, have called for a cease-fire, hoping to prevent an escalation that could draw in Iran and set off a wider regional war. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, visiting Beirut on Monday, urged Israel to refrain from further ground operations, while also calling on Hezbollah to cease its attacks on Israel, saying that Hezbollah “bears heavy responsibility in the current situation, given its choice to enter the conflict.”
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati also reiterated Lebanon’s commitment to achieving a cease-fire and called for the deployment of Lebanese troops in the south, as outlined in the U.N. Security Council resolution that ended the 2006 conflict but was never fully implemented.
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