A senior US official confirmed West Jerusalem’s plans to ABC
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are reportedly planning a limited operation in southern Lebanon, according to ABC News on Saturday, citing a senior U.S. official. Few details were provided about the scope or timing of the operation, but the outlet described it as “very limited.”
Earlier in the week, IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi hinted at a possible ground operation in Lebanon while addressing Israeli troops stationed near the northern border. Halevi explained that recent airstrikes against Hezbollah targets were intended to prepare the area for a potential ground incursion. “You will go in, destroy the enemy, and decisively eliminate their infrastructure,” Halevi told the troops, pointing out that Hezbollah has reportedly fortified villages with military outposts, underground networks, and launch pads targeting Israel.
Halevi also emphasized Israel’s intent to return displaced northern residents to their homes, which would necessitate this ground operation, though he did not specify a timeline.
Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged fire intermittently over the past year, with the Shia group aligning with Palestinian causes amid Israel’s military actions against Hamas. This month, Israel intensified its campaign against Hezbollah, launching airstrikes that have killed over 1,300 people, according to Lebanese health officials. Among Israel’s actions was a significant strike on Friday that killed Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in Beirut. The militant group confirmed his death, though no successor has yet been named.
In a statement following Nasrallah’s death, Israeli authorities claimed that nearly all of Hezbollah’s top military commanders had been eliminated in recent weeks. The U.S. called the killing of Nasrallah “a measure of justice” for his many victims, reiterating support for Israel’s right to self-defense but also urging de-escalation.
Meanwhile, Russia condemned the Israeli strikes, warning that they could spark a broader conflict in the Middle East.