Israel began its ground invasion of Lebanon this Tuesday with which he had threatened, giving way to the “next phase of the war”while Bombings continue in southern neighborhoods of Beirut while attacking the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh for the first time in this new offensive.
“Limited, localized and selective ground raids, based on accurate information, against Hezbollah terrorist targets and infrastructure in southern Lebanon”called them in a statement the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) when announcing a fact about which there had been speculation for days.
The offensive has focused “on villages near the border”, which according to Israeli forces “represent an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel”, and has been accompanied by the Air Force and artillery, which had already been been launched into southern Lebanon in the previous hours, with “precise attacks on military objectives in the area”.
The number of victims or the extent of the first night of the offensive is still unknown, but the Lebanese Ministry of Health, shortly before it began, warned that In the last 24 hours, the different Israeli attacks in the country have left 95 dead and 172 injured.
These figures are added to the more than a thousand people who have died and around a million who have had to flee their homes in the last two weeks due to Israel’s brutal bombing campaign directed mainly against the south and east of Lebanon, but also against the southern outskirts of Beirut.
Preparation of Hezbollah
Given the imminence of the ground operation, Hezbollah has intensified attacks tonight against Israeli troops massing on the border.
The Lebanese Shiite group issued a statement after midnight stating that the target of its attacks were Israeli troops deployed on the border, and the IDF confirmed that 10 projectiles were launched from Lebanon, of which some were intercepted and others fell in areas open.
The attack took place, according to Hezbollah, against “Israeli enemy soldiers” at the gate of the Shtula settlement and “artillery projectiles” were used that achieved “a direct hit.”
It is about the first Israeli invasion of Lebanon in almost two decadesafter those executed in 1978, 1982 and 2006, and is carried out after Israel’s intense campaign against Hezbollah and the Israeli Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, announced on Monday that “The next stage of the war against Hezbollah will begin soon”.
Bombings in southern Beirut
Beirut, which in recent days has received tens of thousands of displaced people due to an intense air campaign against Hezbollah strongholds, has not been spared another day of attacks.
The Israeli Army had urged Lebanese civilians on Monday night to evacuate several areas of the southern suburb of Beirut, known as Dahye and a stronghold of Hezbollah.
The Israeli military spokesman in Arabic, Avichay Adraee, published in Civilians were to clear.
As reported by the international Arab media Al Jazeera, citing the national news agency, a few hours after the announcement, Israeli planes bombed the neighborhoods of Laylaki, al-Marija, Haret Hreik and Burj el Barajnehwithout confirmation of victims yet.
The bombings could be heard throughout the city, as well as the columns of smoke.
Al-Aqsa
And to these bombings has also been added the attack on the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh, in Lebanon, where the leader of Al-Aqsa, the armed wing of Fatah, was supposedly located, Munir Al-Maqdah.
According to Lebanese television Al Manar, the objective of the Israeli incursion into this camp where more than 100,000 Palestinians live in southern Lebanon, in the city of Sidon, more than 50 kilometers from the border, would be the house of Palestinian leader Munir Al-Maqdashwho emerged unharmed, as confirmed by Palestinian sources to this channel.
This is the first attack on this large Palestinian refugee camp since the latest hostilities began and further information on the number of victims or the magnitude of this attack is unknown at this time.
On the other hand, the Syrian state news agency SANA reported tonight of several airstrikes supposedly from Israel on Damascus, where the death of Syrian television journalist Safaa Ahmed and two other civilians were reported.
“The Israeli enemy launched an airstrike with military aircraft flying from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan, targeting several points in the city of Damascus.”as reported by a military source to SANA. EFE
#Israel #begins #ground #incursion #Lebanon
