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A man looks at the destruction at the site of an overnight Israeli airstrike on the Ruwais neighbourhood in Beirut’s southern suburbs on October 1, 2024. (AFP photo)
Hezbollah spokesman Mohammed Afifi called reports of Israeli forces entering Lebanon “false claims”
Israel on Tuesday said that its troops were engaged in “intense fighting” in southern Lebanon after announcing it had launched a ground offensive against Hezbollah, just days after an airstrike in Beirut killed its chief, Hassan Nasrallah.
“Intense fighting is taking place in southern Lebanon,” Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said on Telegram. “For your personal safety, we ask you not to travel by vehicles from the north to the south of the Litani River.”
Hezbollah, however, has denied that Israeli troops have entered Lebanon, stating that its fighters are prepared for a “direct confrontation” if they do cross the border.
‘Ready to have direct confrontation’: Hezbollah
In its first response since Israel announced its ground operation, Hezbollah spokesman Mohammed Afifi called reports of Israeli forces entering Lebanon “false claims.”
“All the Zionist claims that (Israeli) occupation forces have entered Lebanon are false claims,” Afifi said, Afifi stated, adding that there has not yet been any direct ground clash between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli forces.
He further noted that Hezbollah fighters are ready “to have direct confrontation with enemy forces that dare to or try to enter Lebanon to inflict casualties among them.”
‘IDF notified UNIFIL’
The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon on Tuesday said that the Israeli military had notified it of its intention to “undertake a limited ground offensive” into the country.
“Yesterday, the IDF notified UNIFIL of their intention to undertake limited ground incursions into Lebanon,” United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said in a post on X.
STATEMENT:Yesterday, the IDF notified UNIFIL of their intention to undertake limited ground incursions into Lebanon.
— UNIFIL (@UNIFIL_) October 1, 2024
UNIFIL said in a statement that despite the developments, peacekeepers remain in position. “We are regularly adjusting our posture and activities, and we have contingency plans ready to activate if absolutely necessary,” it added.
The UN body further stated, “Peacekeeper safety and security is paramount, and all actors are reminded of their obligation to respect it. Any crossing into Lebanon is in violation of Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a violation of resolution 1701.”
When did the ground offensive begin?
On late Monday, Israel’s military began what it described as “limited, localised, and targeted raids” against Hezbollah in the border areas of southern Lebanon. Its ground forces are supported by fighter jets and artillery fire.
The military officially announced the start of the ground offensive just hours after the United States (US) said that Israeli forces were conducting limited operations in Lebanon.
While the military did not disclose the number of soldiers involved in the incursion, it confirmed that its 98th division—comprising paratroopers and commando units—was participating. This division had previously been deployed in the Gaza Strip, where Israeli forces continue to engage with Palestinian militants led by Hamas.
The military also designated three areas along the northern border with Lebanon as a “closed military zone,” marking the first indication of a potential ground offensive.
(With inputs from agencies)
