Israel-Hezbollah latest: Israeli forces ‘conducting Lebanon raids’ ahead of possible full ground invasion
Defence minister tells troops near border that Israel ‘will use all the forces from the air, sea and land’ as an airstrike hits Beirut for the first time in 18 years
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Israeli special forces are said to be conducting small-group raids into southern Lebanon to gather intelligence on Hezbollah positions, with Israel’s defence minister hinting at a ground invasion.
Yoav Gallant was quoted by Iasraeli media as telling armoured corps troops near the Lebanon border: “To return the resident of the north safely to their homes we will activate all our capabilities - including you.”
"We will use all the forces from the air, sea and land," he added.
It comes as the deputy leader of Hezbollah vowed to be ready for an Israeli invasion.
In his first speech since Israel killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah over the weekend, the group’s deputy chief Naim Qassem said he was confident Hezbollah could push Israeliforces back like during the war in 2006.
“We are confident the Israeli enemy will not achieve its aims,” Qassem said. “We will confront any possibility and are ready if Israel decides to enter by land.”
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.
Death toll from Israeli strike on Ain Deleb hits 45, Lebanese ministry says
The death toll from an Israeli strike on the southern Lebanese town of Ain Deleb has risen to 45, Lebanon‘s health ministry has said.
Israel ‘wipes out’ Hezbollah leadership as bombing ‘forces 1m to flee’
Israel ‘wipes out’ Hezbollah leadership as bombing ‘forces one million’ to flee homes
Israel claims it killed 20 Hezbollah members in the strike that assassinated the Lebanese group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah
Britain calls for ceasefire after Israeli strikes in Lebanon
Britian has urged all sides to seek de-escalation and a ceasefire after Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, reiterating that the region needs to pull back from the brink.
“We are ironclad in our support for Israel’s right to self-defence,” a spokesperson for prime minister Keir Starmer said. “But our very clear message now is, on all sides, (for) all parties to show restraint.”
Israel has hit Lebanon with a two-week wave of attacks, eliminating Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and several commanders but also killing around 1,000 Lebanese and forcing 1 million to flee their homes. Hezbollah has pledged to confront any Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon.
“We want to see all sides step back from the brink,” he said. “Any further escalation must be avoided. A ceasefire will provide the space necessary to find the political solution that is necessary to secure peace in the region.”
Here are some of the latest photos from Lebanon
Gallant meets troops
More from the Israeli defence minister, Yoav Gallant, during his visit to see troops on the Lebanese border.
In a short video, he is seen telling troops that "we will use all the abilities we have and if someone on the other side did not understand what all the abilities mean - it's all the abilities.
"And you are part of this effort, we trust you to be able to accomplish anything."
“Everything that needs to be done – will be done," Mr Gallant adds. "We will use all the forces from the air, sea and land".
Israel special forces ‘conduct raids' in Lebanon
Israel has been launching small special forces raids into southern Lebanon as part of a potential ground offensive, according to a number of reports.
Israel officials told NBC News and The Telegraph that they are designed to gather intelligence and probe Hezbollah’s positions. The official went on to say that such operations have been going on for months and do not necessarily signal the imminent start of a ground assault.
But when taken with the words of Mr Gallant mentioned in the previous post, it is clear that Israel is preparing for some form of operation.
Israel defence minister hints at ground operation against Hezbollah - media
Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant appeared to hint on Monday at a possible ground operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to reports in the Israeli media.
Gallant was cited by several news outlets as telling armoured corps troops near the Lebanese border: “Nasrallah’s elimination is an important step but it is not the end - to return the resident of the north safely to their homes we will activate all our capabilities - including you.”
Berlin says Nasrallah killing was Israeli self defence
Israel’s killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in a powerful airstrike in Beirut constituted a use of its right to defend itself, a German foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday.
“Hezbollah is of course a terrorist organization and it was obviously a meeting of the top leadership of Hezbollah, from which one can assume, even from a distance, that they were planning their further operations,” the spokesperson said.
“So in this respect, there are also reasons to believe that the right to self-defence was exercised here,” he added.
Asked about the civilian deaths in the incident, the spokesperson said “every civilian victim is one civilian victim too many.”
Strike hits central Beirut as Hezbollah reels from Israel's elimination of much of its top command
Strike hits central Beirut as Hezbollah reels from Israel's elimination of much of its top command
An airstrike has leveled an apartment building and killed three Palestinian militants in central Beirut, as Israel appeared to send a clear message that no part of Lebanon is out of bounds
Lebanon's Hezbollah will pick new leader at earliest opportunity, says its deputy chief
Lebanon’s Hezbollah will choose a successor to its slain secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah “at the earliest opportunity” and will continue the fight against Israel, the Iran-backed group’s deputy chief Naim Qassem said on Monday.
He said the group was continuing its operations, working according to plans already laid out, and described its attacks thus far as the “minimum”, adding that the battle could be long.
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