Israel Launches Ground Operation Against Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon

The Israeli military has initiated a ground operation in southern Lebanon, targeting the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. The primary clashes are currently concentrated in the area of Khiam.

According to reports, the fighting involves the use of small arms, medium-caliber weapons, and rocket artillery. Hezbollah claims its fighters have also attacked Israeli border outposts and a group of soldiers in the coastal town of Naqoura, where intense combat is also underway.

Israeli forces stated they have killed several members of the group. The escalation continued into Saturday morning when explosions rocked Beirut. The Israeli military confirmed it had struck Hezbollah command centers in the Lebanese capital.

In response to attacks from Lebanese territory, air raid sirens were activated in northern Israel's Galilee region. Rocket shrapnel reportedly caused damage to a road and buildings in the city of Safed.

The current flare-up in hostilities began after Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel, an act it described as retaliation for the killing of a senior Iranian commander. Israel responded with a series of airstrikes on Lebanon. The Lebanese Ministry of Health reports that the conflict has resulted in over 1,000 casualties and has displaced more than one million people.