BEIRUT — Israel’s widely expected ground invasion of Lebanon appeared to be getting underway early on Tuesday as its military said troops had begun ‘limited’ raids against Hezbollah targets in the border area.
The military said in a statement that its targets were located in villages close to the border that posed “an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel.” It said the air force and artillery were supporting ground forces with “precise strikes.”
Local residents in the Lebanese border town of Aita al-Shaab reported heavy shelling and the sound of helicopters and drones overhead.
On Monday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant had told local council heads in northern Israel that the next phase of the war along Lebanon’s southern border would begin soon, and would support the aim of bringing home Israelis who have fled Hezbollah rockets during nearly a year of border warfare.
Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah – the most powerful leader in Tehran’s “Axis of Resistance” against Israeli and U.S. interests in the Middle East – was killed by Israel on Friday, dealing one of the heaviest blows in decades to both Hezbollah and its backer, Iran.
It followed two weeks of intensive air strikes that have eliminated several Hezbollah commanders but also killed about 1,000 civilians and forced one million to flee their homes, according to the Lebanese government.
At least 95 people were killed and 172 wounded in Israeli strikes on Lebanon’s southern regions, the eastern Bekaa Valley, and Beirut in the past 24 hours, Lebanon’s health ministry said early on Tuesday.
Hezbollah’s deputy leader Naim Qassem, in a first public speech on Monday since Nasrallah’s death, said that “the resistance forces are ready for a ground engagement.”
The Israeli attacks on militant targets in Lebanon are part of a conflict stretching from the Palestinian territories of Gaza and the occupied West Bank to Iranian-backed groups in Yemen and Iraq. The escalation has raised fears that the United States and Iran will be sucked into conflict.
REUTERS
BAHASA MELAYU
Pencerobohan darat Israel terhadap Lubnan bermula dengan serbuan ‘terhad’ ke atas Hizbullah
BEIRUT — Pencerobohan darat Israel yang dijangka secara meluas ke atas Lubnan nampaknya sedang dijalankan awal pada Selasa apabila tenteranya berkata tentera telah memulakan serbuan ‘terhad’ terhadap sasaran Hizbullah di kawasan sempadan.
Tentera berkata dalam satu kenyataan bahawa sasarannya terletak di kampung berhampiran sempadan yang menimbulkan “ancaman segera kepada masyarakat Israel di utara Israel.”
Ia berkata tentera udara dan artileri menyokong pasukan darat dengan “serangan tepat”.
Penduduk tempatan di bandar sempadan Lebanon, Aita al-Shaab melaporkan tembakan hebat dan bunyi helikopter dan dron di atas kepala.
Pada Isnin, Menteri Pertahanan Israel Yoav Gallant telah memberitahu ketua majlis tempatan di utara Israel bahawa fasa seterusnya perang di sepanjang sempadan selatan Lubnan akan bermula tidak lama lagi, dan akan menyokong tujuan membawa pulang warga Israel yang melarikan diri dari roket Hizbullah selama hampir setahun peperangan sempadan.
Ketua Hizbullah Hassan Nasrallah – pemimpin paling berkuasa dalam “Paksi Penentangan” Tehran terhadap kepentingan Israel dan AS (Amerika Syarikat) di Timur Tengah – telah dibunuh oleh Israel pada Jumaat, memberikan salah satu tamparan paling teruk dalam beberapa dekad kepada kedua-dua Hizbullah dan penyokongnya, Iran.
Ia menyusuli serangan udara intensif selama dua minggu yang telah menghapuskan beberapa komander Hizbullah tetapi turut membunuh kira-kira 1,000 orang awam dan memaksa satu juta meninggalkan rumah mereka, menurut kerajaan Lubnan.
Sekurang-kurangnya 95 orang terbunuh dan 172 cedera dalam serangan Israel ke atas wilayah selatan Lubnan, timur Lembah Bekaa, dan Beirut dalam tempoh 24 jam lalu, kata kementerian kesihatan Lubnan awal Selasa.
Timbalan pemimpin Hizbullah Naim Qassem, dalam ucapan awam pertama pada Isnin sejak kematian Nasrallah, berkata bahawa “pasukan penentangan bersedia untuk penglibatan darat.”
Serangan Israel ke atas sasaran militan di Lubnan adalah sebahagian daripada konflik yang menjangkau dari wilayah Palestin di Gaza dan Tebing Barat yang diduduki kepada kumpulan yang disokong Iran di Yaman dan Iraq.
Peningkatan itu telah menimbulkan kebimbangan bahawa Amerika Syarikat dan Iran akan disedut ke dalam konflik.
REUTERS