Israel INVADES Lebanon after weeks of devastating airstrikes as it seeks to destroy Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah --[Reported by Umva mag]

ISRAEL finally invaded terror-hotbed Lebanon last night, pouring tanks and troops over the border for its much-anticipated showdown with Hezbollah. Heavy artillery barrages were followed by the first reports of ground clashes as Israeli troops confronted their entrenched, fanatical enemy. Rescue teams after an overnight Israeli airstrike at the southern port city of Sidon An airstrike hit the Ruwais neighbourhood in Beirut early today Israeli army tanks near the Lebanon border EPAIsraeli artillery shells hit areas near villages in southern Lebanon on Monday[/caption] There was heavy shelling in the towns of Khiam and Wazzani, on the southern border with Israel, Lebanese media reported. Israel informed its American allies about “limited operations focused on Hezbollah infrastructure near the border”, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller later confirmed. But more clashes were also reported early today as Hezbollah fighters claimed to have repelled a push into orchards in Adaisseh and Kafr Kela near the southern frontier. More battles were reported to have erupted around the southern communities of Blida and Ainata. The focus of the operation is on clearing out Hezbollah terror sites to halt rocket attacks which have driven 60,000 from homes in Northern Israel in the last 11 months, Israeli sources said. But analysts fear huge civilian casualties – and fallout which will suck regional and world powers into a widening war. Troops and tanks last night stormed across the border hours after Israel revealed special forces had already attacked defence tunnels inside the country. In a statement just before midnight Monday UK time, the IDF said its boots on the ground were backed by artillery and the air force. It dubbed the gambit against Iran’s proxy army, which has rained missiles on Israeli homes for nearly a year, Operation Northern Arrows. The force described the invasion as “limited” and “localised” ground raids against Hezbollah terrorist targets in southern Lebanon that pose a threat to Israel. AFPIsrael bombed Beirut before beginning its invasion of Lebanon in the south[/caption] Smoke rises from an Israeli airstrike on BeirutGETTY APIsraeli tanks massed near the border ahead of the invasion[/caption] Planning has been going on for months and was only launched after approval by political leaders, the IDF revealed. They said: “The IDF began a few hours ago a targeted and demarcated ground operation in southern Lebanon against terrorist targets and infrastructures of the terrorist organisation Hezbollah.” Israel’s army will face up to 50,000 Hezbollah fighters using a network of tunnels stacked with guns and ammunition and 100,000 rockets to defend against their technologically advanced foe. Many of the paramilitary group’s soldiers are battle-hardened after fighting in the Syrian Civil War – but much of their leadership has recently been wiped out. Israel hammered Damascus, in Syria, with rounds of airstrikes targeting a military airport, local media claimed, soon after the announcement. The UK has charted a commercial flight to help British nationals and their families flee the country, which will take off on Wednesday. The IDF called on civilians in southern Lebanon to avoid driving in areas south of the Litani River. The IDF’s spokesman Col Avichay Adraee said on X: “There is intense fighting in southern Lebanon, in which Hezbollah operatives are using the civilian environment and you as a human shield to organise to carry out attacks. “For your safety, we ask you to avoid movement in vehicles from the north to the south of the Litani River. This warning is valid until further notice.” Lebanese troops have already pulled back five kilometres inside their own country, Reuters reports. APIsraeli artillery fired across the border in the opening salvo of the invasion[/caption] ReutersIsraeli fighter jets have pounded locations used by Hezbollah in previous weeks[/caption] IDF troops preparing to enter Lebanon Footage of the 98th Division near the border The move appeared to indicate that Lebanon was stepping aside to allow the showdown between the arch-enemies to begin. Just hours before, Israel imposed a no-go military zone on the border and prohibited civilians from entering it. Soon after, parts of southern Lebanon were said to have been shelled by tank and artillery fire. Israel massed tanks, soldiers, and 13,000 reservists at its northern border with Lebanon in preparation for the strike. The incursion comes 11 months after the October 7 terror attack by Hamas that killed 1,200 people in Israel. Western allies have scrambled to broker a temporary ceasefire between terror group Hezbollah and Israel over the last few days – branding the escalation of vi

Oct 4, 2024 - 17:38

Israel INVADES Lebanon after weeks of devastating airstrikes as it seeks to destroy Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah --[Reported by Umva mag]

ISRAEL finally invaded terror-hotbed Lebanon last night, pouring tanks and troops over the border for its much-anticipated showdown with Hezbollah.

Heavy artillery barrages were followed by the first reports of ground clashes as Israeli troops confronted their entrenched, fanatical enemy.

Residents and rescue teams inspect the damage following an overnight Israeli airstrike on the Ain al-Helweh camp for Palestinian refugees on the outskirts of the southern port city of Sidon early on October 1, 2024. The strike hit — Rescue teams after an overnight Israeli airstrike at the southern port city of Sidon

A man looks at the destruction at the site of an overnight Israeli airstrike on the Ruwais neighbourhood in Beirut's southern suburbs on October 1, 2024. (Photo by AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images) — An airstrike hit the Ruwais neighbourhood in Beirut early today

Israeli army tanks manoeuvre in a staging area in northern Israel near the Israel-Lebanon border, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner) — Israeli army tanks near the Lebanon border

a fireworks display is lit up in the night sky

Israeli artillery shells hit areas near villages in southern Lebanon on Monday[/caption]

There was heavy shelling in the towns of Khiam and Wazzani, on the southern border with Israel, Lebanese media reported.

Israel informed its American allies about “limited operations focused on Hezbollah infrastructure near the border”, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller later confirmed.

But more clashes were also reported early today as Hezbollah fighters claimed to have repelled a push into orchards in Adaisseh and Kafr Kela near the southern frontier.

More battles were reported to have erupted around the southern communities of Blida and Ainata.

The focus of the operation is on clearing out Hezbollah terror sites to halt rocket attacks which have driven 60,000 from homes in Northern Israel in the last 11 months, Israeli sources said.

But analysts fear huge civilian casualties – and fallout which will suck regional and world powers into a widening war.

Troops and tanks last night stormed across the border hours after Israel revealed special forces had already attacked defence tunnels inside the country.

In a statement just before midnight Monday UK time, the IDF said its boots on the ground were backed by artillery and the air force.

It dubbed the gambit against Iran’s proxy army, which has rained missiles on Israeli homes for nearly a year, Operation Northern Arrows.

The force described the invasion as “limited” and “localised” ground raids against Hezbollah terrorist targets in southern Lebanon that pose a threat to Israel.

Israel bombed Beirut before beginning its invasion of Lebanon in the south[/caption]

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburb early on October 1, 2024. (Photo by Fadel ITANI / AFP) (Photo by FADEL ITANI/AFP via Getty Images) — Smoke rises from an Israeli airstrike on Beirut

two military vehicles are driving down a road at night

Israeli tanks massed near the border ahead of the invasion[/caption] a map showing israel invading lebanon and syria

Planning has been going on for months and was only launched after approval by political leaders, the IDF revealed.

They said: “The IDF began a few hours ago a targeted and demarcated ground operation in southern Lebanon against terrorist targets and infrastructures of the terrorist organisation Hezbollah.”

Israel’s army will face up to 50,000 Hezbollah fighters using a network of tunnels stacked with guns and ammunition and 100,000 rockets to defend against their technologically advanced foe.

Many of the paramilitary group’s soldiers are battle-hardened after fighting in the Syrian Civil War – but much of their leadership has recently been wiped out.

Israel hammered Damascus, in Syria, with rounds of airstrikes targeting a military airport, local media claimed, soon after the announcement.

The UK has charted a commercial flight to help British nationals and their families flee the country, which will take off on Wednesday.

The IDF called on civilians in southern Lebanon to avoid driving in areas south of the Litani River.

The IDF’s spokesman Col Avichay Adraee said on X: “There is intense fighting in southern Lebanon, in which Hezbollah operatives are using the civilian environment and you as a human shield to organise to carry out attacks.

“For your safety, we ask you to avoid movement in vehicles from the north to the south of the Litani River. This warning is valid until further notice.”

Lebanese troops have already pulled back five kilometres inside their own country, Reuters reports.

a cannon is being fired at night with smoke coming out of it

Israeli artillery fired across the border in the opening salvo of the invasion[/caption]

a fighter jet is taking off from a runway at night

Israeli fighter jets have pounded locations used by Hezbollah in previous weeks[/caption]

a group of soldiers standing in front of a building with the number 98 on it — IDF troops preparing to enter Lebanon

a group of soldiers stand in front of a building with the number 23 on it — Footage of the 98th Division near the border

The move appeared to indicate that Lebanon was stepping aside to allow the showdown between the arch-enemies to begin.

Just hours before, Israel imposed a no-go military zone on the border and prohibited civilians from entering it.

Soon after, parts of southern Lebanon were said to have been shelled by tank and artillery fire.

Israel massed tanks, soldiers, and 13,000 reservists at its northern border with Lebanon in preparation for the strike.

The incursion comes 11 months after the October 7 terror attack by Hamas that killed 1,200 people in Israel.

Western allies have scrambled to broker a temporary ceasefire between terror group Hezbollah and Israel over the last few days – branding the escalation of violence “intolerable”.

But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected it and vowed to double down on Hezbollah with “full force”.

The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) pledged they will fight the Iran-backed paramilitary group “until victory”.

two military vehicles are driving down a desert highway

The IDF has prepared for the invasion for months, Israel said[/caption]

an illustration of hezbollah 's inferno in south lebanon

Israeli defence minister Minister Yoav Gallant told troops deployed to the country’s northern border: “We will use all the forces from the air, sea and land”.

Hezbollah’s deputy chief Naim Qassem today insisted the terror group is ready for any Israeli ground offensive.

He vowed Hezbollah would continue with its mission against Israel despite the loss of its leader and other top brass.

Qassem said: “We will not budge an inch from our position in supporting Gaza and Palestine and defending Lebanon and its people.

a man in a suit and tie says there is nowhere in the middle east

Netanyahu threatened Iran and its proxies today in a speech[/caption]

“We know that the battle is long and the options are open to us, and we are ready for the enemy to enter by land, as the resistance forces are ready for the ground encounter.”

Qassem spoke after two weeks of intensive airstrikes had wiped out Hezbollah’s leadership in a string of assassinations, including its leader Hassan Nasrallah on Friday night.

Israel has also today continued its ruthless drive to decapitate terror groups with more assassinations after the deaths of Hamas’ boss in Lebanon and Hezbollah’s chief.

The invasion marks a culmination of intensifying fighting over the past few weeks as Israel shifted to a “new phase” in its war.

It added a new war goal earlier this month vowing to return all evacuated citizens in the north of the country back to their homes.

Hezbollah rockets fired across the border since October 7 have killed nearly 30 civilians and 20 soldiers and forced another 80,000 Israelis to leave their homes.

a row of military tanks with the letter v on the side

Tanks and armoured personnel carriers on the Lebanon border before the invasion[/caption]

a city at night with a fire in the distance

Smoke rises over Beirut’s southern suburbs after strikes[/caption]

In Lebanon, an Israeli air campaign over the past weeks in preparation for the attack has caused one million people to be displaced and hundreds killed by the airstrikes.

One ex-Mossad spy previously told The Sun Israel would create a “no-go” buffer “death zone” in the south of Lebanon where nobody would live.

Israel called up reserves last week, adding another 10,000 soldiers to the troops already there.

Tanks and military trucks have also been seen transported towards the border over the past few days.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi previously told troops what the purpose of their invasion was.

He said: “You will go in, destroy the enemy there, and decisively destroy their infrastructure.

a man with a beard wearing a white turban

Hezbollah’s deputy chief Naim Qassem today said the terror group is ‘ready’ for war[/caption]

a group of soldiers standing in front of a bunch of military vehicles

Israel has dubbed the invasion Operation Northern Arrows[/caption]

“These are the things that will allow us to safely return the residents of the north afterward.”

UK and US officials have urged their citizens to escape the country as soon as possible.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said just days ago: “But it is important that we be really, really clear: now is the time to leave.”

Hundreds of Brit troops were deployed to Cyprus in case they needed to evacuate 10,000 Brits from Lebanon in an operation dubbed Meteoric.

Iran is said to have particularly helped to bolster Hezbollah’s arsenal by supplying light weapons, anti-tank missiles and long-range unguided missiles.

Hezbollah's decade of destructive preperation

By Foreign News Reporter Juliana Cruz Lima

Following the 2006 Lebanon War, in which Israel and Hezbollah fought to a bloody standstill, the terror group began preparing for the next conflict.

They constructed a vast underground network across southern Lebanon.

The lessons of that war, in which Hezbollah’s small, mobile units were able to surprise and sometimes overpower Israeli forces, have been embedded in its military doctrine ever since.

The tunnels are now a key part of this strategy, allowing Hezbollah to replicate the tactics of insurgencies around the world: strike fast, disappear, and use the enemy’s size and strength against them.

Some of these tunnels have been found stretching into Israeli territory, designed to facilitate surprise raids deep inside northern Israel.

In 2018, the IDF launched Operation Northern Shield, a months-long mission to detect and destroy Hezbollah’s cross-border tunnels.

The discovery of these tunnels — some reinforced with concrete and running dozens of meters underground — revealed just how advanced Hezbollah’s capabilities had become.

Last month, Hezbollah revealed its hidden terror tunnel network from which missiles can be launched in a chilling threat to Israel.

A blood-curdling video released by the Lebanese terrorists revealed a giant underground roads with enough room for lorries to transport their deadly weapons.

Posters of leaders and soldiers adorn the tall stone walls as heavily armed men speed through the “missile city” in motorbikes.

Trucks loaded with enormous missiles make their way through the dark roads in a frightening glimpse of the terrorists’ arsenal.

Drone footage then shows the seemingly endless terror maze, which also appears to be home to military tech and computers.

Inside the terror tunnels, Hezbollah fighters can move unseen, store weapons, and launch ambushes, creating a dangerous cat-and-mouse game with the IDF.

They can also move into a much larger network of bunkers, missile silos, and command centres, deeply embedded in civilian areas.

These tunnels – which can stretch for miles – link critical positions, allowing Hezbollah fighters to emerge, strike, and then vanish back underground before Israel can respond.

Reports also suggest that Hezbollah has been expanding its tunnel network in southern Lebanon in recent weeks.

a man with glasses and a beard is smiling

Israel killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah Friday[/caption]

a large smoke stack is visible over a city

Israel has hammered Lebanon with airstrikes for weeks[/caption]

a group of soldiers are walking down a dirt road

Israel now has boots on the ground[/caption]

Israeli shelling an area in southern Lebanon[/caption]

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