Troops from the IDF's 91st Division on Monday carried out a dramatically deeper push into southern Lebanon against Hezbollah.
Additional troops from the four IDF divisions redeployed to the north could join the expanded operation at a later stage, depending on developments on the ground.
While the move marks a dramatic escalation, it still does not amount to a full-scale invasion along the lines of the 2024 campaign, as forces are not advancing all the way to the Litani River at this stage.
The IDF said the operations were aimed at removing threats near the border and creating “an additional layer of security” for residents of northern Israel.
Ahead of the ground operations, the IDF said it carried out artillery barrages and Air Force strikes on multiple Hezbollah targets.
The military added that troops are continuing defensive missions in the Galilee to protect nearby Israeli communities.
IDF troops carry out defensive missions in the Galilee
IDF troops are also carrying out defensive missions to protect communities in the Galilee, the military said.
The IDF added that it will continue to operate against Hezbollah, which “chose to join the hostilities and operate under the sponsorship of the Iranian terror regime,” and said it “will not allow harm to Israeli civilians.”
Additionally, on Sunday, the IDF reported that eighty-five percent to 90% of Hezbollah’s pre-2023 rocket arsenal has been destroyed.
Before the war, Hezbollah had more than 150,000 rockets, it said.
