Israel’s military reported heavy fighting Tuesday in southern Lebanon after its ground troops launched an incursion against Hezbollah militants in what is the latest expansion of conflict in the region.
The military described its cross-border actions as “limited, localized, targeted operations,” and said it will continue fighting toward goals that include “restoring security in northern Israel.”
Israeli army spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said Hezbollah was planning to invade Israel.
“If the state of Lebanon and the world can’t push Hezbollah away from our border, we have no choice but to do it ourselves,” Hagari said in a video statement.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, said Tuesday that Israel gave notice of its intention to conduct ground incursions into Lebanon, and that UNIFIL peacekeepers remain in their positions.
“Any crossing into Lebanon is in violation of Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity,” UNIFIL said in a statement. “We urge all actors to step back from such escalatory acts, which will only lead to more violence and more bloodshed.”
The U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, said the violence is “spiraling to dangerous heights.”
“This cycle of violence will not end well – for anyone. A sliver of opportunity remains for diplomacy to succeed. The question now is whether it will be seized or squandered,” Hennis-Plasschaert said in a statement.
Nearly a year of attacks across the border forced thousands of people on both sides to flee their homes. Hezbollah said Tuesday it used rockets to target Israeli military positions near Tel Aviv and in areas along the border.
A surge in Israeli aerial attacks and Israeli military orders for people in Lebanon to evacuate certain areas have displaced at least 350,000 people within Lebanon, according to the United Nations, with that figure expected to rise.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Tuesday the country is facing “one of the most dangerous phases of its history.”
The U.N. humanitarian agency appealed Tuesday for $425 million in funding to help those affected by what it called “the largest escalation of conflict since the 2006 Lebanon War.”
“The ongoing violence and rapidly deteriorating security situation is putting hundreds of thousands of people’s lives at risk on both sides of the Blue Line [between Israel and Lebanon],” the United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a statement.
The United Arab Emirates expressed concern Tuesday about “the repercussions of this dangerous situation and impact on regional security,” while announcing $100 million in relief aid.
“The UAE reaffirmed its unwavering position towards the unity of Lebanon, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity, emphasizing the country’s steadfast support for the people of Lebanon during this challenging period,” the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
In a phone call late Monday with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reaffirmed U.S. support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Iran, Hezbollah, Gaza-based Hamas, the Yemen-based Houthis and other Iran-backed groups.
The Pentagon said Austin and Gallant “agreed on the necessity of dismantling attack infrastructure along the border.”
“The Secretary reaffirmed that a diplomatic resolution is required to ensure that civilians can return safely to their homes on both sides of the border. He and Minister Gallant discussed the importance of ultimately pivoting from military operations to a diplomatic pathway to provide security and stability as soon as feasible,” Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement.
Earlier Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden said, “I’m comfortable with them stopping,” after he was asked about whether he was comfortable with reports that Israel was launching its operation into Lebanon.
“We should have a cease-fire now,” Biden told reporters.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday that the United States “will continue to work with our partners in the region and around the world to advance a diplomatic resolution that provides real security to Israel, to Lebanon, and allows citizens on both sides of the border to return to their homes.”
Meanwhile, Naim Kassem, Hezbollah deputy chief, said in a televised address Monday that Hezbollah forces were “ready if Israel decides to enter by land.” He added, “The resistance forces are ready for any ground confrontation.”
Lebanon’s health ministry says more than 1,000 people have been killed and 6,000 wounded in the past two weeks. The count does not differentiate between militants and civilians.
Hezbollah broke a relative calm along the border after Hamas’ October 7 terror attack on Israel triggered the war in Gaza. The militant group says it is acting in solidarity with Hamas. Both Hamas and Hezbollah are U.S.-designated terror groups.
Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
