Netanyahu orders deeper Israeli incursion into Lebanon to hit Hezbollah

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday that he has ordered troops to expand their ground operations in Lebanon, intensifying the conflict with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group. This escalation occurs despite a ceasefire that has been in place for over six weeks. The fighting in Lebanon represents the most significant spillover from the ongoing war in Iran. Since March 2, when Hezbollah began launching rockets and drones into Israel, over 1.2 million Lebanese have been displaced due to Israeli strikes and evacuation orders. The Lebanese government reports that more than 3,370 people have been killed in the conflict, while Israel states that 24 of its soldiers and four civilians have died. Additionally, tens of thousands of Israelis living in the country's north have been displaced by Hezbollah's cross-border attacks. In the latest advance, Israeli forces captured the historic Beaufort Castle and a strategic ridge in southern Lebanon. This occurred a day after Hezbollah launched one of its heaviest barrages toward northern Israel since the April ceasefire, leading to school closures and movement restrictions. "I instructed the (military) to expand its ground manoeuvre in Lebanon," Netanyahu stated. The military aims to "deepen and expand our grip on the places that were under Hezbollah's control." Amidst the escalating violence, France has requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council. Hezbollah has increasingly employed inexpensive, easily assembled kamikaze drones that pose a challenge to air defenses and have resulted in Israeli troop casualties. The Israeli military, which already controlled territory up to the Litani River, is now pushing further north towards the Zaharani River. Naftali Bennett, a political rival of Netanyahu, has called for more aggressive action, including strikes on the suburbs of Beirut.

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I instructed the (military) to expand its ground manoeuvre in Lebanon.