Israel and Lebanon are on the brink of all-out war. Photo: Shutterstock
Israel has launched a ground invasion in southern Lebanon overnight from Monday to Tuesday, conducting “limited and targeted raids” against Hezbollah positions near the border. Explosions were also heard in southern Beirut, shortly after Israeli forces warned residents to evacuate areas where Hezbollah infrastructure was present.
The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that at least 95 people were killed and 172 injured in Israeli airstrikes over the past 24 hours, with most casualties occurring in southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut.
The number of displaced persons in Lebanon now exceeds one million, according to local media. Over 850 schools are being used as shelters, with more than 600 already full.
The United States has expressed strong support for Israel’s actions. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned Iran of “severe consequences” if it launches any direct attacks on Israel, emphasizing the need to dismantle Hezbollah’s infrastructure to prevent further assaults.
Operation Against Hezbollah
Israeli forces announced they had begun “limited ground raids” based on precise intelligence against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. Air and artillery strikes have supported the ground operations. Residents of border towns reported hearing drones and helicopters overhead, as well as intense shelling.
This marks a significant escalation of the Middle Eastern conflict, which has intensified since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7.
Israeli Airstrike Targets Fatah Commander
On Tuesday morning, an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon targeted Mounir Maqdah, commander of the Lebanese branch of Fatah’s military wing. It is not yet clear whether the strike killed him. The attack hit a building in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp near Sidon. This was the first airstrike on the camp since the outbreak of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel.
Israel Continues Strikes in Syria
In Syria, an Israeli airstrike on Damascus killed three civilians and wounded nine others, according to Syrian state media. Israel has long targeted Iranian-linked sites in Syria, but these strikes have intensified since the October 7 Hamas attack.
