Israel Sends More Troops into Lebanon After Night of Escalation
Israel has announced the deployment of additional troops to southern Lebanon to engage Hezbollah, following a vow of a “painful” retaliation after Iran launched nearly 200 missiles at the country on Tuesday night.
The Israeli Defense Forces have stated that they are sending more personnel along with an armored tank brigade to support what they describe as a ‘limited, localized’ ground operation against the Iran-supported militant organization Hezbollah.
On social media, the Israeli military’s spokesperson for Arabic audiences, Avichay Adraee, urged the inhabitants of an extra 24 villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate without delay. He emphasized, “your safety you must leave your homes,” warning that civilians in proximity to Hezbollah fighters, facilities, or munitions are endangering their lives.
Additionally, sirens were activated across northern Israel on Wednesday after the military reported that around 100 rockets had been launched from Lebanon. Alerts were issued for communities surrounding the port city of Haifa and the Western Galilee region, both of which lie near the border.
The Israeli military confirmed the death of a soldier in combat in Lebanon, as reported by The Associated Press, which noted that Hezbollah claimed to have inflicted casualties on an unspecified number of Israeli troops.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard stated that the missile barrage was a retaliation for several recent assassinations, including that of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut last Friday, the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July — an act widely attributed to Israel — and the death of an Iranian commander.
The region is now preparing for Israel’s reaction and the potential for a broader conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remarked, “This, Iran, will pay for it,” shortly after the missile strikes. The Israeli military spokesperson characterized Iran’s assault as ‘a severe and dangerous escalation,’ asserting “We respond wherever whenever and we choose”.
