Escalating Tensions: Israel and Hezbollah Engage in Cross-Border Raids

Israel launched limited ground raids into Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah strongholds, while Hezbollah retaliated with missile strikes on Israeli territory. Despite the absence of direct clashes, the operation has heightened international alarm. Over 600 Lebanese civilians sought refuge, with significant displacement and casualties reported. Calls for de-escalation have emerged globally.

Israel reported launching commando and paratroop raids into Lebanon on Tuesday as part of a "limited" ground incursion. Concurrently, Iran-backed Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a missile barrage targeting Israeli sites, including an intelligence agency near Tel Aviv. Israeli forces in southern Lebanon conducted overnight operations, avoiding direct clashes with Hezbollah fighters, according to Israeli security officials.

The escalation has triggered international concern. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy advised Israel to avoid repeating historical conflicts, and Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares called for a cessation of ground operations to prevent further regional escalation. Hezbollah, formed by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in 1982, remains a formidable adversary.

Following extensive Israeli airstrikes that decimated Hezbollah's leadership, including the assassination of its chief Hassan Nasrallah, Israel emphasized that the ground raids target Hezbollah strongholds, not Lebanese civilians. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari highlighted that Hezbollah has transformed Lebanese villages into military bases. Residents near the southern border have evacuated under Israeli military warnings, with around 600 taking refuge in a monastery.

(With inputs from agencies.)