Israel gears up for potential ground operation against Hezbollah

Israeli ground forces will soon begin or have already started small-scale operations on the Lebanese side of the border, according to ABC television, citing its American sources. The "Jerusalem Post" daily states that Israel has not yet decided on a ground operation, but it may do so at any moment.

ABC sources noted that they do not know whether Israel has made a final decision on a ground operation against Hezbollah, but it is undoubtedly prepared for one. The station emphasized that the scope of the Israeli ground campaign will be limited.

"The situation is highly dynamic and could change at any moment, especially if Hezbollah manages to achieve a more deadly hit or hits on Israel's home front than it has achieved to date," wrote the "Jerusalem Post" on Sunday. In such a case, Israel would need to accelerate the ground operation plan, and soldiers would likely move deeper into Lebanese territory, the daily added.

The Israeli government has not yet decided whether a ground assault on Hezbollah will be necessary, but the military is paying attention to the weather. The newspaper noted that they are pushing to start a potential invasion in the coming weeks or days to conclude the fighting before the rainy fall and especially before the harsh mountain winter prevalent in southern Lebanon.

For a week now, the Israeli armed forces have been conducting intensive airstrikes on Lebanon as part of Operation "Northern Arrows," aimed at restoring security in the northern part of the country. Due to Hezbollah's shelling over the past year, more than 60,000 residents have had to flee from there. Israel emphasizes that their strikes are targeted at Hezbollah infrastructure and fighters.

According to Lebanese authorities, more than 700 people have been killed in the airstrikes, several thousand have been injured, and over a million have had to flee their homes.

Israeli commanders had previously indicated that soldiers are being prepared for a possible ground operation in southern Lebanon. Additional forces have been moved to the border. In recent days, numerous manoeuvres simulating combat in Lebanon have been conducted.

If necessary, any potential ground operation will be carried out "as swiftly as possible," said an anonymous representative of the Israeli defence establishment, quoted by AFP on Friday.