‘Intense fighting’ as Israel launches Lebanon ground offensive

BEIRUT (AFP) — The Israeli army said its troops were locked in fierce clashes in Lebanon after launching a ground offensive Tuesday, escalating the conflict after a week of air strikes that killed hundreds.

The ground assault came as Israel targeted south Beirut, Damascus and Gaza, despite international calls for restraint to avoid a regional conflagration.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned the fight was far from over, even after a massive strike on Beirut killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday. His death dealt a heavy blow to the Iran-backed group.

The Israeli military said its forces, backed by air strikes and artillery, carried out “targeted ground raids” on Hezbollah positions in settlements along the border.

It said the targets posed an “immediate threat” to northern Israeli communities, and warned Lebanese civilians against driving in a southern zone along the border.

The military had earlier declared a military zone on parts of its border with Lebanon. It said projectiles were fired from Lebanon into the northern Israeli towns of Avivim and Metula.

Hezbollah said it had twice targeted “a movement of enemy soldiers in Metula with artillery shells.”

Lebanon’s official National News Agency said an Israeli air strike Tuesday on Ain al-Helweh camp killed six people, including Hassan Maqdah, the son of Mounir Maqdah who heads the Lebanese branch of Palestinian group Fatah’s armed wing, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades.

It also reported Israeli shelling of border settlements, killing 10 people from the same family, including at least two children, in Daoudieh village.

Deadly strikes on Damascus

As Israel announced its ground raids, Syria’s official news agency SANA said the country’s air defense systems had intercepted three rounds of strikes in the Damascus area.

State television said anchor Safaa Ahmad was killed “in the Israeli aggression” on Damascus, while SANA reported three civilians killed and nine others wounded.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which has carried out hundreds of strikes on Syria in recent years.

There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah following the Israeli army’s announcement of the ground raids, but the group’s al-Manar television reported the Israeli statement on its Telegram channel.

United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin late Monday gave Washington’s backing to Israel “dismantling attack infrastructure along the border.”

Lebanon’s national army, dwarfed by Hezbollah’s military power, was “repositioning” troops farther from the border, a military official told AFP.

Beirut evacuations

Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed 95 people on Monday, the health ministry said.

On Monday evening, the Israeli military ordered people in three districts of southern Beirut to evacuate.

“You are located near interests and facilities belonging to the terrorist Hezbollah group... you must evacuate the buildings immediately,” army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said.

Hezbollah began low intensity strikes on Israeli troops a day after its Palestinian ally Hamas staged its unprecedented attack on Israel on 7 October, which triggered Israel’s devastating assault on the Gaza Strip.

Iran has said Nasrallah’s killing would bring about Israel’s “destruction,” though the foreign ministry said Monday that Tehran would not deploy any fighters to confront Israel.

Austin warned on Monday of “serious consequences for Iran” if Tehran directly attacks Israel.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Tuesday appealed to the United Nations and donor countries for aid for the displaced, whom he previously estimated could be as many as one million people.