Israel says has started ‘targeted ground raids’ in Lebanon
Al Jazeera
Military describes attacks as ‘limited, localised and targeted’ and supported by air force and artillery.
The Israeli military says it has begun “targeted ground raids” on villages in southern Lebanon.
The incursions backed by air strikes and artillery began “a few hours ago”, targeting Hezbollah “in villages close to the border” with Israel, according to a statement released early on Tuesday by the military.
It added that the raids were “limited, localised and targeted” against Hezbollah.
The incursion came shortly after it was approved by Israeli political leaders and marked a new stage in Israel’s war against Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed Lebanese armed group. Hezbollah began low-intensity strikes on Israeli targets a day after Israel launched its war on Gaza last October following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.
Earlier on Monday, US officials said Israel had launched small ground raids against Hezbollah and sealed off communities along its northern border on Monday as Israeli artillery pounded southern Lebanon.
