Israel has intensified its ground offensive in southern Lebanon, deploying thousands of soldiers in its fight against the Islamist Hezbollah militia.

The Israeli army, on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, said the 146th Reserve Division has been operating in the western sector of southern Lebanon since Monday, and urged civilians near the Mediterranean to evacuate.

Prior to the massive increase in fighting in the region, areas along the western section of Israel’s de facto border with Lebanon were designated as closed military zones.

Reports indicated that three other Israeli divisions were deployed in the central and eastern sectors of the front.

The Iranian-backed Hezbollah has been launching attacks on Israel for the past year, claiming it is acting “in solidarity’’ with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The regular exchanges of fire have cost lives on both sides.

Hezbollah said it had fired rockets at the Israeli city of Haifa after the Israeli military reported 85 projectiles crossing from Lebanon.

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The latest escalation followed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s vow to fight a “sacred war” until Hezbollah and Hamas are defeated.

Israel expanded operations in Lebanon nearly a year after Hezbollah opened a front in support of its Palestinian ally, Hamas, following the deadliest attack in its history on October 7, 2023.

While battling Hamas in Gaza, Israel has vowed to secure its northern border with Lebanon to allow tens of thousands of Israelis displaced by Hezbollah’s cross-border fire to return home.

Both Hamas and Hezbollah have pledged no let-up against Israel, and on Tuesday Hezbollah’s deputy chief Naim Qassem said the group would make it impossible for Israelis to return to the north.

Israel launched a wave of strikes against Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon on September 23, leaving at least 1,110 people dead since then and forcing more than a million people to flee.

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Israeli attacks have mainly targeted Hezbollah stronghold areas in southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as south Beirut, AFP reported.

While the southern coast has not been spared, Israel’s latest evacuation warning suggests it is widening its offensive northwards.

The Star