Israel begins ground offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon: Live updates

Israeli ground troops moved into southern Lebanon early Tuesday, marking a significant escalation of an offensive against Hezbollah and opening a new front in a year-long war against their Iran-backed opponents.

The invasion follows weeks of heavy attacks by Israel against Israel Hezbollah – including an airstrike that killed their longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah – and is trying to increase pressure on the Lebanese militant group. The last time Israel and Hezbollah fought a ground battle lasted a month War in 2006.

The Israeli military said in a brief statement it had begun “limited, localized and targeted ground strikes” against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.

“These targets are located in villages near the border and pose an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel,” it said.

There was no word on how long the operation would last, but the Army said soldiers had been training and preparing for the deployment over the past few months.

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