Israel plans largest Lebanon invasion since 2006 war
Shafaq News- Middle East
Israel is preparing a major ground invasion of southern Lebanon aimed at dismantling Hezbollah’s military infrastructure south of the Litani River, Israeli and US officials told Axios on Saturday.
According to the outlet, citing the officials, the offensive –if launched– would mark Israel’s largest ground operation in Lebanon since the 2006 war, potentially drawing the country deeper into the widening US-Israel-Iran conflict.
The operation would aim to seize territory south of the Litani River, push Hezbollah fighters farther from the border, and destroy weapons depots and military positions embedded in villages across southern Lebanon. While the Israeli government had previously tried to “contain” the fighting in Lebanon and focus on the confrontation with Iran, that calculus changed after Hezbollah launched more than 200 missiles in a coordinated attack alongside Iranian strikes, prompting Israel to prepare a broader ground offensive. The barrage marked the first in a series of attacks the group said were part of an operation it called “Eaten Straw,” referencing a Quranic verse.
The Israeli military earlier said it had already struck around 110 Hezbollah positions since the war began, targeting command centers and infrastructure in Beirut and across southern Lebanon.
At the same time, Axios added, Lebanon’s government has sought to open direct negotiations with Israel through US mediation in an effort to halt the war and reach a broader political settlement. Israeli and US officials, however, reportedly reacted with skepticism to the proposal.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry says Israeli strikes since hostilities resumed on March 2 have killed at least 773 people and wounded 1,933, including 103 children, while more than 800,000 residents have been displaced. On the Israeli side, the Health Ministry reported 2,975 injuries since the war with Iran began on February 28, with 85 people still receiving treatment.
