Israeli officials: Army completes preparations for potential major ground operation in Lebanon

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, Israeli officials announced that the army has completed all preparations for a potential major ground operation in Lebanon.

According to the Israel Broadcasting Corporation, senior Israeli officials stated, "The army will conduct air operations before the maneuver," amid rising tensions between Hezbollah and Israel.

Hezbollah is one of the most powerful paramilitary forces in the Middle East that has been deeply involved in intense, near-daily cross-border fighting with Israel since October 7, marking the most significant escalation since the 2006 war.

Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters have been monitoring each other for months in the deserted villages and residential areas near Lebanon's southern border, changing positions and adapting to battlefield conditions while waiting to see if the situation will escalate into full-scale war.

Since the Gaza conflict began in October, both sides have been exchanging daily barrages of rockets, artillery shells, and airstrikes, though the confrontation has not yet escalated into full war.

Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated on both sides of the border. Hopes that children in northern Israel might return to start the new school year in September were dashed after Israeli Education Minister Yoav Kisch announced on Tuesday that the conditions do not allow for it.

Israeli strikes have killed nearly 350 Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon, along with over 100 civilians, including medics, children, and journalists. On the Israeli side, ten civilians, a foreign agricultural worker, and 20 Israeli soldiers have been killed. However, observers said that Israel does not announce to the public the actual results of Hezbollah's strikes.