Israel-Lebanon latest: Israel ‘launches cross-border raids’ as US official says ground invasion may be imminent
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant warns next phase of war against Hezbollah along southern border of Lebanon ‘will begin soon’
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Israel has launched cross-border raids in Lebanon as a ground invasion may be imminent, according to officials.
Israel is conducting small, precision raids across the border in Lebanon and a larger ground operation is being planned, a US official and a Western official told The Associated Press on Monday.
The United States has observed positioning of Israeli troops that suggests that a ground incursion into Lebanon could be imminent, a US official said to Reuters.
The Independent has been unable to independently verify the reports.
It comes as Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Monday that the next phase of the war against Hezbollah along the southern border of Lebanon “will begin soon”.
Earlier, hinting at a ground invasion, he was quoted by Israeli media as telling armoured corps troops near the Lebanon border on Monday: “To return the residents of the north safely to their homes we will activate all our capabilities – including you.”
It comes as the deputy leader of Hezbollah, Naim Qassem, vowed to be ready for an Israeli invasion in his first speech given since Israel killed the group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah over the weekend.
Israel intensified its airstrikes on Monday, hitting central Beirut for the first time since 2006, while also killing Hamas’s leader in Lebanon in the southern city of Tyre.
Israel kills Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in strike marking major escalation in conflict
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‘We have lost everything’: Britons fleeing Lebanon say family was wiped out by airstrike
Who was Hassan Nasrallah? Hezbollah leader of Lebanese militant group killed in Israeli strike
More than 100,000 people cross from Lebanon into Syria, UN refugee agency says
More than 100,000 people have crossed into Syria from Lebanon since a conflict between Israeli forces and the Hezbollah militia escalated this month, the United Nations refugee agency chief said on Monday.
Filippo Grandi said on social media platform X that those fleeing included both Lebanese and Syrian nationals. The UN agency is assisting those arriving at four crossing points, he added.
Hezbollah deputy leader speaks for first time since Nasrallah death
Hezbollah’s deputy chief Naim Qassem is giving his first public address since the group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in a series of Israeli strikes over the weekend.
He has vowed that Hezbollah will defeat Israel and that they are ready to go to war.
Sound of explosions heard on outskirts of Damascus, say witnesses
Sounds of explosions were heard on the outskirts of the Syrian capital Damascus on Monday, witnesses told Reuters.
Iran will not leave Israel's 'criminal' acts unanswered, says foreign ministry
Iran will not leave any of ‘the criminal acts’ of Israel unanswered, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said in a weekly news conference on Monday, referring to the killing of Hezbollah’s chief and Iranian Guard deputy commander in Lebanon.
Israel posts footage of planes refuelling during Houthi attacks
The Israeli military has posted footage of its planes refuelling while on route to attacks on the Houthi militia in Yemen.
Earlier, we reported that dozens of its aircraft struck Houthi targets in Yemen in response to a recent attack on Israel.
The military said it targeted power plants and sea port facilities in the city of Hodeida.
The Houthis launched a ballistic missile attack on Ben Gurion airport on Saturday when prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was arriving.
Hezbollah faces ‘existential moment’ after Nasrallah’s death
Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at Chatham House, said that Israel has been closely monitoring Hezbollah and its leader Hassan Nasrallah since the 2006 war, enabling them to eliminate many key figures within the group.
Vakil described this as a critical junction for Hezbollah. “This is why this is such an existential moment for the group.”
Sources told Middle East Eye that while Hezbollah typically replaces its commanders quickly, Nasrallah’s cousin, Hachem Safieddine, has been groomed for leadership.
“Over the years, Nasrallah put Safieddine on the path to prepare him to take the helm. But this remains to be seen as Safieddine’s name was circulating among those who were killed in Friday’s strike,” the source was quoted as saying.
Deputy chief of Lebanon's Hezbollah to give speech, first since Nasrallah's killing
The deputy chief of Lebanon’s armed group Hezbollah is due to give an address imminently, the group’s media office have said.
It is the first address by a Hezbollah official since the killing of the group’s secretary general in an Israeli air attack on Friday.
The media office originally reported the speech would take place at 12 pm local time, 9am GMT.
Kirby says Israeli strikes ‘nearly decimated’ Hezbollah command structure
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said that Israel’s airstrikes in Lebanon have “nearly decimated” Hezbollah’s command structure, though he cautioned that the group will likely rebuild it swiftly.
He told ABC: “There’s no question that the Hezbollah of today is not the Hezbollah that was even just a week ago.”
But he warned that “somebody will be anointed” to take Hassan Nasrallah’s place.
Israel confirmed that the Hezbollah leader was killed in a strike on Beirut on Friday.
“We’re watching this very, very closely to see how, if and how, Hezbollah and / or Iran may react as well as the militia groups in Iraq and Syria. We have to be prepared for some sort of response. We have to make sure that we are ready, and we are. We believe we have the force capability we need in the region, but it’s not clear right now, it’s too soon to know how Iran’s going to react to this,” Mr Kirby said.
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