ISRAELI ground forces have crossed into southern Lebanon, marking a significant escalation of an offensive against Hezbollah.
The incursion follows weeks of heavy blows by Israel against Hezbollah – including an airstrike that killed longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah.
The last time Israel and Hezbollah engaged in ground combat was in 2006.
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In a brief statement, the Israeli military said 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.
Israel has said it will continue to strike the group until it is safe for displaced Israelis from border communities to return to their homes.
More than 1000 people have been killed in Lebanon in the past two weeks, nearly a quarter of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry.
Ahead of the Israeli announcement, United States officials said Israel launched small ground raids inside Lebanon, and Israel declared three small border communities to be a “closed military zone,” restricting access only to army personnel.
There were no reports of direct clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah militants. But throughout the evening, Israeli artillery units pounded targets in southern Lebanon and the sounds of airstrikes were heard throughout Beirut.
Smoke rose from the capital’s southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a strong presence, shortly after Israel ordered residents of three buildings to evacuate.
The army has heavily beefed up forces along the border in recent days, and commanders have said they are prepared to go into Lebanon.
Israeli strikes in recent weeks have hit what the military says are thousands of militant targets across large parts of Lebanon.
UK Government reaction
The UK Government has chartered a flight out of Lebanon for Britons wanting to leave as Israel said it had begun a “limited, localised” operation in the southern part of the country.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy described the situation in Lebanon as “volatile” and with the “potential to deteriorate quickly” as the flight, due to leave Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport on Wednesday, was confirmed.
He also reiterated calls for Britons in Lebanon to leave and said the Government will do “all that we can” to assist people in fleeing.
Lammy (above) said: “The situation in Lebanon is volatile and has potential to deteriorate quickly.
“The safety of British nationals in Lebanon continues to be our utmost priority. That’s why the UK Government is chartering a flight to help those wanting to leave. It is vital that you leave now as further evacuation may not be guaranteed.”
Speaking to broadcasters earlier on Monday night, the Foreign Secretary commented: “We will do all that we can to assist people to get out and we have secured places on commercial flights that are flying tomorrow so that UK nationals can get out.
“I urge them to leave because the situation on the ground is fast-moving.”
He added: “And of course, whilst we will do everything we can to protect British nationals – and those plans are in place to do so – we cannot anticipate the circumstances and the speed with which we could do that if things escalate in a major way over the coming hours and days.”
READ MORE: We have a duty to speak plainly about what Israel is doing
Lammy chaired a ministerial meeting of the Cobra emergency committee on Monday to discuss the crisis.
There are an estimated 5000 British citizens in Lebanon and the Government says it is working on “all contingency options”.
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