Israel warns Lebanese to stay out of way of ground operations

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The Israel Defence Forces warned residents of Southern Lebanon on Tuesday not to venture south of the Litani River, hours after IDF tanks rolled across the border to begin a limited ground operation against Hezbollah.

“Intense fighting is ongoing in Southern Lebanon, during which Hezbollah militants are using the civilian environment and population as human shields to launch attacks,” Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, head of the Arab Media Branch in the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, tweeted in Arabic.

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“For your personal safety, we urge you not to travel by vehicle from the northern area to the area south of the Litani River,” he continued. “This warning is valid until further notice.”

The IDF announced the start of the ground operation early on Tuesday, hours after the Security Cabinet in Jerusalem approved the move. The army said that forces were conducting “limited, localized and targeted raids” along the border.

“These targets are located in villages close to the border and pose an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel,” the IDF said, adding that the troops were being backed by aerial and artillery support.

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Fighters from the 98th Division, including commandos, paratroopers and the 7th Brigade’s armoured units, have been preparing for the ground invasion for several weeks. The 98th Division joined the Northern Command after months of fighting Hamas terrorists in Gaza under the Southern Command.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah on Tuesday continued to target communities in northern Israel with rocket fire, while also expanding its range to the centre of the country.

According to initial reports, Hezbollah launched several long-range rockets at neighbourhoods in north Tel Aviv and other areas in the Gush Dan region, with explosions heard, possibly from interceptions.

There were reports of an impact on Highway 6 near the Horeshim Interchange in central Israel. According to the Magen David Adom emergency service, two men were wounded by shrapnel in the incident — a 54-year-old bus driver in moderate condition and a 31-year-old private driver in light condition.

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A rocket and missile alert was activated in the town of Tziv’on in the Upper Galilee on Tuesday morning. Earlier, the IDF said there were launches at Metula, Avivim, Baram and other areas of the Upper Galilee region.

The Iranian-backed terror army has been committing constant cross-border attacks in support of Hamas in Gaza since Oct. 8, 2023, causing the evacuation of more than 60,000 Israelis from their homes in the north. Jerusalem recently added the return of the northern residents to their homes as one of the war goals.

Israel also continues its aerial campaign against Hezbollah across Lebanon, with Israeli Air Force fighter jets targeting multiple terror sites in the Hezbollah stronghold of the Dahieh district south of Beirut, where on Friday the group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, was assassinated.

The IDF said that weapons-manufacturing facilities and other military infrastructure were struck during the Dahieh attacks.

“At this time, the IDF continues to strike forcefully to degrade the military capabilities and infrastructure of Hezbollah in order to restore security to the State of Israel and its citizens,” the military said.

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Fatah terrorist targeted in Lebanon

An Israeli airstrike early Tuesday targeted a Palestinian Fatah terrorist, Reuters reported.

Mounir Maqdah, commander of the Lebanese branch of Fatah’s military wing, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, was the target, two Palestinian security officials told the news agency.

It was not clear if the strike was successful.

The strike on a building in Ain al-Hilweh near the southern coastal city of Sidon marked the first time that Israel has targeted the Palestinian refugee camp since hostilities broke out with Hezbollah.

In August, Israel killed Fatah terrorist Khalil Makdah in a drone strike near Sidon.

Fatah is the political party chaired by Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas.

The leader of the Hamas terrorist organization in Lebanon, Fateh Sherif Abu el-Amin, was killed in an airstrike in the Tyre area in the south of the country, Israel said on Monday. He was also an employee of UNRWA, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees and their descendants.

Also on Monday, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) announced that three of its terrorist operatives were killed in an Israeli airstrike overnight Sunday in Beirut.

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Ben-Gvir backs Lebanon actions

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a key figure in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition, gave his backing to the current operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

“The decisions we have made in recent days are important, correct and necessary,” the Otzma Yehudit Party leader tweeted on Tuesday.

“At the same time, now is not the time to stop. We must continue doing everything, with full force, and crush the Hezbollah terrorist organization in order to safely return the residents of the north to their homes,” he continued.

“I pray for the success of the IDF soldiers who are currently fighting under difficult conditions in Southern Lebanon. The entire people of Israel stand behind them.”

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