Israel Escalates Middle East Conflict with Ground Raids into Lebanon, Targets Hezbollah Command

Israel has escalated its conflict with Hezbollah by launching ground operations inside Lebanon, marking a significant turning point after two weeks of intense airstrikes on Hezbollah’s command centres and weapons storage facilities. The Israeli military confirmed that these operations, which began on Monday night, involved paratroopers and commandos from the elite 98th division. This division had been deployed to Israel’s northern front two weeks ago, having previously been engaged in combat operations in Gaza.

According to the Israeli military, the ground raids are focused on Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon, specifically targeting villages considered an “immediate threat” to Israeli communities in northern Israel. The operations have included localised ground incursions, supported by air force and artillery bombardments. The aim is to dismantle Hezbollah’s ability to launch attacks on Israeli territory and weaken its command structure.

Local sources in Lebanon, including a Lebanese security official, confirmed that Israeli units crossed into Lebanon for reconnaissance and probing operations, although the Lebanese army has not officially confirmed or denied the movement. Residents of the Lebanese border town of Aita al-Shaab reported hearing heavy shelling, accompanied by the sound of helicopters and drones. Over the border town of Rmeish, flares were launched repeatedly, illuminating the night sky and indicating heightened military activity.

In response, Hezbollah stated that it had targeted Israeli troops across the border in Metula with artillery and rocket fire. However, the militant group made no mention of Israel’s ground operations, raising speculation about the intensity of the clashes in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah’s response is seen as part of an ongoing tit-for-tat escalation that has characterised the conflict since it began.

Meanwhile, Israel has continued to target militant positions beyond Lebanon, striking inside Syria. Early on Tuesday, an Israeli airstrike in Damascus killed three civilians and injured nine others, according to Syrian state media. Israel has been conducting air raids in Syria for years, targeting Iran-linked militants, but these operations have intensified since the October 7 Hamas assault on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and saw around 250 taken hostage. Israel’s military response has been fierce, with airstrikes reducing Gaza to rubble and killing more than 41,300 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

In another development, an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon targeted Mounir Maqdah, the commander of the Palestinian Fatah movement’s military wing, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp. Two Palestinian security officials confirmed the strike, which hit a building in the crowded camp near Sidon. Maqdah’s fate remains unknown, but this marks the first Israeli strike on Ain al-Hilweh since cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel intensified last year.

The ground operations into Lebanon represent a widening of the conflict, which risks dragging in regional powers such as the United States and Iran. Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group, has long been a key player in the ongoing tensions with Israel. Israel’s latest actions have been framed as a necessary escalation to neutralise Hezbollah’s threat, while Hezbollah’s leadership has vowed to resist Israeli aggression.

The conflict has also exposed divisions within Lebanon itself. While Hezbollah operates independently as a paramilitary force, Lebanon’s national army has largely stayed on the sidelines during these confrontations. The Lebanese military has historically refrained from direct conflict with Israel, and this recent incursion has seen Lebanese troops pull back from certain positions along the border, according to local sources.

As the conflict continues to escalate, civilian populations on both sides of the border are bearing the brunt of the violence. In southern Lebanon, towns and villages near the Israeli border are enduring frequent shelling, while northern Israel remains under constant threat of Hezbollah’s rocket fire. Humanitarian organisations have warned of the dangers posed to civilians as military operations intensify and called for an immediate ceasefire.

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