The Israeli military announced on Wednesday that infantry and armored units are being deployed to join ground operations in southern Lebanon. However, according to Reuters, these operations will remain limited and localized.
On Tuesday, Israel revealed that commando and paratrooper units had crossed the border in the first publicly acknowledged ground operation in Lebanon. Later, it clarified that special forces had been conducting cross-border raids against Hezbollah for months, targeting tunnels and weapons caches hidden under civilian homes.
The latest phase of the operation sees the involvement of the 36th Division, including the Golani Brigade, the 188th Armored Brigade, and the 6th Infantry Brigade, signaling that the scope of the mission goes beyond isolated raids.
The Israeli army emphasized that the main focus of the ground operation is to dismantle tunnels and other border infrastructure, with no plans for a larger offensive targeting Beirut or major cities in southern Lebanon.
