Israel begins 'localised and targeted' ground operation in Lebanon, days after Hezbollah chief's death

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Tuesday (Oct 1) announced it had begun "limited, localised, and targeted ground raids" against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, days after annihilating the entire chain of command of the militant outfit.

IDF said the Hezbollah targets were located in villages close to the border and posed an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel.

"The IDF is operating according to a methodical plan set out by the General Staff and the Northern Command which IDF soldiers have trained and prepared for in recent months," the military said in a statement.

The operation, codenamed "Northern Arrows" willcontinue according to the situational assessment and in parallel to combat in Gaza and in other areas.

"The IDF is continuing to operate to achieve the goals of the war and is doing everything necessary to defend the citizens of Israel and return the citizens of northern Israel to their homes," the statement added.

In accordance with the decision of the political echelon, a few hours ago, the IDF began limited, localized, and targeted ground raids based on precise intelligence against Hezbollah terrorist targets and infrastructure in southern Lebanon. These targets are located in villages… — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) September 30, 2024

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Hammer blow to Hezbollah

The Iran-backed Hezbollah has been dealt a hammer blow in recent days by Israel with experts viewing the ground raids as the final step in Tel Aviv's plan of total demolition of the militant outfit.

Prior to launching the ground operation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a warning to Iran, saying there wasno region in West Asia which was out of the country’s reach. Netanyahu also addressed Iranian people, adding Israel’s enemy was the Iranian government, not the Iranian people, and that when the government fell, its people would be better off.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon earlier said it had put an unspecified number of American troops on prepare-to-deploy orders.

“Defense SecretaryLloyd Austin increased the readiness of additional US forces to deploy, elevating our preparedness to respond to various contingencies. I’m just not going to get into specifics for [operational security] reasons, but these forces cover a wide range of capabilities and missions," the Pentagon spokesperson said.

While Iran had refused to send its troops to Lebanon after Nasrallah's death, it will be interesting to observe what stance Tehran takes as Israeli troops march through the streets of southern Lebanon.

(With inputs from agencies)