IDF launches targeted ground offensive in southern Lebanon amid ongoing Hezbollah attacks
A Hezbollah rocket struck northern Israel on Monday evening, sparking a fire and wounding six people, including two adults and four minors, in Nahariya, the Magen David Adom (MDA) ambulance service reported. Another man near Kibbutz Kabri was lightly injured from a blast. The attack occurred as part of a wave of rocket and drone fire from the Lebanese terror group targeting northern Israel.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it has begun a “targeted ground operation” in southern Lebanon to expand the buffer zone against Hezbollah and protect residents of Israel’s north. Defense Minister Israel Katz emphasized that displaced Lebanese will not return to areas south of the Litani River until northern Israeli communities are safe.
Since March 2, Hezbollah has launched around 100 rockets per day and numerous drones at Israel, following the killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei. The IDF has responded with airstrikes on Hezbollah infrastructure, including in Beirut, while preparing for further ground operations to remove terrorist threats near the border.
The military said the current operation resembles Israel’s campaigns against Hamas in Gaza, aiming to destroy terror infrastructure and prevent future attacks. Katz warned that Hezbollah will pay a “heavy price” for targeting Israeli civilians and assured residents that the IDF is acting to restore security in northern Israel.
In parallel, Lebanese authorities began legal proceedings against Hezbollah members for weapons offenses, following the group’s renewed attacks, signaling growing local pressure against the terror organization.
Source: The Times of Israel