Israel begins ground offensive in Lebanon

The site of an Israeli airstrike on the Laylaki neighbourhood in Beirut’s southern suburbs. PIC/AFP

Israeli ground forces crossed into southern Lebanon early Tuesday, marking a significant escalation of an offensive against Hezbollah militants and opening a new front in a yearlong war against its Iranian-backed adversaries.

The incursion follows weeks of heavy blows by Israel against Hezbollah - including an airstrike that killed its longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah - and seeks to step up the pressure on the group, which began firing rockets into northern Israel after the start of the war in Gaza.

The Israeli military said in a brief statement that it began "limited, localised and targeted ground raids" against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. "These targets are located in villages close to the border and pose an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel," it said.

There was no word on how long the operation would last, but the army said soldiers had been training and preparing for the mission in recent months. The last time Israel and Hezbollah engaged in ground combat was a month-long war in 2006.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah has denied that Israeli troops have entered Lebanon but says its fighters are ready for a "direct confrontation" if they cross the border. In its first statement since Israel announced the start of ground operations, Hezbollah spokesman Mohammed Afifi said reports that Israeli forces had entered Lebanon were "false claims".

He said Hezbollah fighters are ready to have direct confrontation with enemy forces that dare to or try to enter Lebanon to inflict casualties among them. "Hezbollah's firing of medium-range missiles toward central Israel earlier on Tuesday is only the beginning," he said.

Israeli military calls for more evacuations

Israeli has ordered the evacuation of nearly two dozen Lebanese border communities. The evacuation order, posted by the Israeli military's Arabic spokesman on X, specified around two dozen communities in southern Lebanon and ordered people to evacuate north of the Awali River, some 60 km from the border.

Chartered plane to fly out Brit nationals

A UK government-chartered flight will on Wednesday fly out of Lebanon those British nationals who want to leave following escalating violence in the region. Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously called on British nationals in Lebanon to "leave immediately" as tensions continue to mount in West Asia.