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People walk on the rubble at the site of the Israeli airstrike that killed Lebanon’s Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Friday, in Beirut’s southern suburbs, Lebanon, September 29, 2024. (Reuters)
The incursions backed by airstrikes and artillery began “a few hours ago” and are targeting militant group Hezbollah “in villages close to the border” with Israel
The Israeli military on Tuesday said that its troops have started “targeted ground raids” in villages of southern Lebanon. The attacks backed by airstrikes and artillery began “a few hours ago” and are targeting militant group Hezbollah “in villages close to the border” with Israel, a military statement said.
The recent attacks came two days after it killed the group’s chief Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike in Beirut. A Lebanese security official said Israel had also conducted at least six strikes on south Beirut after Israel’s army ordered residents in the Hezbollah stronghold to evacuate, reported AFP.
Hassan Nasrallah, who was the chief of Hezbollah, was killed in an airstrike on Beirut on Friday. But Israel had vowed the battle was still on. The killing of Nasrallah was “an important step, but not the final one,” their defence minister had said.
Israel, Hezbollah Defiant In Not Ending Clash
Despite international calls for de-escalation, Israel vowed to keep fighting against Hezbollah. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant warned that the “battle was not over” even after the massive strike on Beirut that killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday, giving a massive setback to the group.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s deputy leader Naim Qassem, in his first televised speech since Nasrallah’s death, said they are ready to fight the battle against Israel. The group has said in a statement they “targeted” Israeli troops in orchards near the Lebanese border.
World Leaders Call For Descalation
US President Joe Biden earlier on Monday indicated he opposed an Israeli ground operation and said, “We should have a ceasefire now.” In fact, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also on Monday told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that India condemns terrorism in all forms and reiterated the need to ensure the safe release of all hostages held in the Gaza Strip.
World leaders have urged de-escalation, with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric saying, “We do not want any sort of ground invasion.”
