Israel's military grows intrusion into south-west Lebanon

 

Israel's military grows intrusion into south-west Lebanon

Israel is intensifying its ground invasion of Lebanon against Hezbollah, deploying thousands of additional troops into a new southwestern zone. 

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that a fourth division has joined the ongoing eight-day operation aimed at dismantling Hezbollah's targets and infrastructure. 

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In a recent statement, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant suggested that the successor to the assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah "was probably also eliminated." This remark followed comments from Nasrallah's former deputy, Naim Qassem, who asserted that the Iran-backed group had recovered from recent “painful blows” inflicted by Israel and that its capabilities remained “fine.”

Hezbollah fighters launched rocket barrages toward the northern Israeli port city of Haifa on Tuesday for the third consecutive day, injuring 12 people. 

Despite enduring three weeks of intense Israeli strikes and attacks in Lebanon that have resulted in over 1,400 deaths and the displacement of 1.2 million, according to Lebanese authorities, the group remains defiant. 

Israel has escalated its offensive after nearly a year of cross-border hostilities triggered by the Gaza war, aiming to ensure the safe return of tens of thousands of residents displaced by Hezbollah's rocket, missile, and drone attacks.

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Tensions have been mounting since Hezbollah began firing rockets into northern Israel on October 8, 2023, in support of Palestinians, just a day after Hamas's deadly attack on southern Israel.

On Tuesday morning, the IDF announced that reservists from its 146th Division had commenced “limited, localized, targeted operational activities” in southwestern Lebanon. This division joins three standing army divisions that have been active in central and eastern southern Lebanon since the invasion began on September 30, bringing the total number of deployed soldiers to over 15,000.

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The IDF also reported that troops had seized control of a Hezbollah “combat compound” in the border village of Maroun al-Ras, releasing photos of a loaded rocket launcher found in an olive grove, as well as weapons and equipment inside a residential building. Drone footage revealed extensive destruction in the nearby village of Yaroun, an initial target of the invasion.

On Monday, the IDF ordered the evacuation of another two dozen towns and villages in southwestern Lebanon, instructing residents to move north of the Awali River, about 50 km (30 miles) from the border. The IDF cautioned holidaymakers and boaters to avoid beaches and the sea south of the Awali.

In a joint statement, the UN special coordinator for Lebanon and the head of the UN peacekeeping force emphasized that the humanitarian impact of the conflict was “nothing short of catastrophic,” with “far too many people... paying an unimaginable price.” 

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Lebanon’s government estimates that up to 1.2 million people have fled their homes over the past year, with nearly 180,000 now in approved centers for the displaced. Additionally, over 400,000 individuals have fled into war-torn Syria, including more than 200,000 Syrian refugees, a situation described by the head of the UN’s refugee agency as one of “tragic absurdity.”

The World Food Programme has raised “extraordinary concern” regarding Lebanon's capacity to feed itself, citing the destruction or abandonment of thousands of hectares of farmland across the southern region.

The IDF reported that its aircraft conducted a new round of strikes on Hezbollah targets in the southern suburbs of Beirut, where the group maintains a strong presence, as well as other areas of Lebanon on Tuesday.

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Earlier, the IDF announced that a strike in the capital on Monday killed Suhail Husseini, the commander of Hezbollah’s headquarters. Husseini oversaw logistics, budgeting, and management for the group and played a “crucial role” in facilitating weapons transfers from Iran.

Hezbollah has not commented on this claim, but if confirmed, it would mark another significant blow to the group, which has already lost Hassan Nasrallah and many of its military commanders in recent strikes.

Hashem Safieddine, a senior Hezbollah official expected to succeed Nasrallah, has also not been heard from publicly since an Israeli airstrike reportedly targeted him in Beirut last Thursday.

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In a brief video released by the IDF, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated, "Hezbollah is an organization without a head. Nasrallah was eliminated, his replacement was probably also eliminated. There's no one to make decisions, no one to act."

Conversely, Hezbollah's deputy leader, Naim Qassem, delivered a defiant televised address on Tuesday morning, asserting that the group’s command and control remains “solid” with “no vacant positions.” He emphasized their ongoing attacks on Israel, stating, "We are hurting them and will prolong the time. Dozens of cities are within range of the resistance's missiles. Our capabilities are fine."

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This speech coincided with the launch of over 100 rockets towards Haifa Bay and the Lower, Central, and Upper Galilee regions. The IDF reported that most of the rockets were intercepted, though some caused damage to buildings, including a school, with no serious casualties.

On Sunday night, a direct hit on Haifa marked a significant escalation, as it was the first such occurrence since the last war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006.