Israel carried out an on-ground invasion of Lebanon on the morning of 1 October, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed in a media statement. Israel’s invasion signals a full-scale regional escalation — an action several neighbouring countries, including Egypt, have warned of several times in the past months. The escalation also comes nearly a year after Israel’s first military offensive in Gaza following the events of 7 October. The IDF described the operation as “limited, localized, targeted ground raids” in southern Lebanon. The statement further detailed that the operation aimed at dismantling Hezbollah’s “infrastructure,” which it alleges poses a direct threat to Israeli communities near the northern border. IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari also accused Hezbollah of preparing villages near the border as “staging grounds for an October 7-style invasion.” Despite the IDF’s claim of maintaining a limited ground invasion, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant asserted that the Israeli army is prepared to deploy forces “from the air, sea, and land” to confront Hezbollah — indicating the possibility of a broader invasion. Lebanese troops were seen withdrawing from the southern borders a day in reaction to imminent Israel’s invasion, according to Reuters….
