Ignoring ceasefire calls, Israel begins 'localised, targeted' ground raids in Lebanon

Even as world leaders, including the United Nations Secretary-General and US President Joe Biden, opposed a ground invasion into Lebanon and called for a ceasefire, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Tuesday (October 1) announced that it began "limited, localised and targeted" ground raids against Hezbollah targets and infrastructure in south Lebanon, close to the border.

Israel attacks south Lebanon

Israel sees these areas as posing an “immediate threat” to Israeli communities living in northern Israel and vulnerable to an ‘October 7’ Hamas attack.

Officials said that Israel has conducted at least six strikes on Dahieh, a Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut's southern suburbs. A warning was first given to the residents by the IDF saying, “You are located near interests and facilities belonging to the terrorist Hezbollah group. For your safety and the safety of your family members, you must evacuate the buildings immediately and stay away from them."

 In a tweet, an Israeli military spokesperson said that intense fighting has begun with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

"Heavy fighting is taking place in southern Lebanon, with Hezbollah elements using the civilian environment and the population as human shields to launch attacks," spokesperson Avichay Adraee posted on X. 

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Meanwhile, Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant also warned the Jewish nation will use "all the means that may be required" to fight the battle in northern Israel, which shares border with Lebanon - "from the air, from the sea, and on land". The Operation "Northern Arrows", as it is called, will continue against the Hezbollah in Lebanon simultaenously along with their fight in Gaza and in other areas.

In a tweet, IDF said millions of Israelis are currently in shelters as Hezbollah fires rockets at our civilians from Lebanon.

Hezbollah’s reaction

In his first televised speech since Nasrallah's death, Hezbollah's deputy leader Naim Qassem said they were ready if Israel "decides to enter by land". The group has said in a statement they "targeted" Israeli troops in orchards near the Lebanese border.

Also read: Tip-off, 80 tonnes of explosives: How Nasrallah was killed in bunker 60 ft underground 

US reaction

Meanwhile, even as Israel launched “targeted ground raids” on Hezbollah, US defence secretary Lloyd Austin offered support to Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant for the Isreaeli operation to “dismantling attack infrastructure” along the border with Lebanon.

Lloyd Austin also warned Iran of “serious consequences” should it directly attack Israel in response to their attacks on the Tehran-backed militant group.

“We agreed on the necessity of dismantling attack infrastructure along the border to ensure that Lebanese Hezbollah cannot conduct October 7-style attacks on Israel's northern communities,” Lloyd Austin said in a statement posted to social network X after speaking with Gallant.

"The United States is well-postured to defend US personnel, partners, and allies in the face of threats from Iran and Iran-backed terrorist organizations and determined to prevent any actor from exploiting tensions or expanding the conflict."

UN reaction

Amid the latest escalation, US President Joe Biden has again called for a ceasefire. "I'm more worried than you might know, and I'm comfortable with them stopping. We should have a ceasefire now," he told reporters when asked if he was comfortable with Israeli plans for a cross-border incursion.

While British Foreign Minister David Lammy also called for an immediate ceasefire, after discussing the escalation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken over the phone.

Also read: Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah’s death leaves Iran with a serious dilemma 

Israel ignores calls for ceasefire

Israel has been ignoring global calls for a ceasefire and has been pounding Beirut with airstrikes, killing hundreds of people over the past week and forcing thousands to flee, according to Lebanese officials.

As Israel engages with the Hezbollah, it seems to be shifting its focus from Gaza, where it has been fighting Hamas operatives through ground operations for months. Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the Palestinian Hamas group.

1,000 people killed

Meanwhile, more than 1,000 people have died in the past two weeks since the cross-border hostilities first started and many others likely to be displaced. In the past 24 hours, at least 95 people were killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon, the Lebanese Health Ministry said, adding that 172 others were also injured in the same period.

In India, Adnan Abu Alhaija, the Palestinian Ambassador said the current "right-wing government in Israel" has repeatedly rejected any efforts to bring a ceasefire.

"All the people, even the United States, have defended Israel. The international arena calls Israel for a ceasefire, but Israelis and this extreme government (Netanyahu) are refusing the ceasefire," he said, not hopeful for any kind of peace in the troubled region.