Shafaq News/ Israel is preparing for a potential ground assault in Lebanon, Israeli military chief Herzi Halevi said on Wednesday, as the army called up two brigades of reservists and continued its deadly airstrikes on Hezbollah positions for the third consecutive day.
Speaking to soldiers in northern Israel, Halevi said the latest airstrikes were “preparing the ground” for a possible incursion into Lebanon. “Your military boots will enter enemy territory, into villages that Hezbollah has turned into military outposts,” he said, making the most direct reference yet to a ground invasion.
Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group, expanded its missile attacks on Israel, including a strike aimed at Mossad headquarters near Tel Aviv, prompting Halevi to warn of a severe Israeli response.
The Israeli army confirmed the mobilization of reservists, stating the goal was to continue fighting Hezbollah and facilitate the return of civilians displaced by cross-border violence. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his commitment to ensuring the safety of northern residents, saying Hezbollah is being hit “harder than it could imagine.”
Lebanon’s health minister reported at least 51 people killed in Israeli strikes on Wednesday, raising the death toll from the past three days to 615, with over 2,000 wounded. The violence has triggered the displacement of more than 90,000 people from southern Lebanon, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The World Health Organization (WHO) and Lebanese authorities are bracing for further mass casualties, with essential health services under strain as supplies dwindle.
The escalation in Lebanon has alarmed international leaders. US President Joe Biden said an all-out regional war is possible but expressed hope for a diplomatic resolution. "There’s still room for diplomacy," Biden said in an appearance on ABC’s The View.
The United States is leading a diplomatic initiative to de-escalate conflicts in both Gaza and Lebanon, marking the first time the two fronts have been linked in a US peace effort, Reuters reported, citing sources familiar with the talks at the UN General Assembly in New York.