BEIRUT — Israeli forces launched a major ground operation in southern Lebanon on Monday following a rocket barrage from Hezbollah, the Israeli military and Lebanese security sources said.
The Israeli military said its troops expanded operations deeper into southern Lebanon in response to rocket fire that triggered sirens across northern Israel. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the barrage, describing it as retaliation for Israeli strikes on its positions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered intensified action against Hezbollah infrastructure, with forces crossing further beyond previous demarcation lines in the area, according to Israeli officials and media reports. The operation follows a fragile ceasefire agreed in April 2026 that has been repeatedly strained by cross-border incidents.
Lebanese security sources reported heavy Israeli airstrikes accompanying the ground push, targeting areas south of the Litani River. Details on the exact scope of the ground incursion remained unclear early Monday.
The escalation comes amid ongoing tensions in the broader 2026 Lebanon conflict, which began in March after Hezbollah launched projectiles toward Israel. Israeli forces have maintained a presence in parts of southern Lebanon aimed at creating a buffer zone, according to the Israeli military. Hezbollah has continued sporadic attacks, including rockets and drones.
" The IDF has begun a ground operation in Lebanon to eliminate threats and protect the residents of the Galilee and the North," Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz was quoted as saying in earlier statements on similar operations.
Casualty figures from the latest exchange were not immediately available. Lebanon's health ministry has previously reported thousands killed in the conflict since March, while Israeli officials have cited soldier deaths and civilian impacts from Hezbollah attacks. Both sides routinely attribute higher losses to the other.
The United Nations has called for restraint as diplomatic efforts to stabilize the ceasefire continue. Schools in northern Israel remained closed or operated under restrictions due to security alerts, according to local authorities.
As of Monday afternoon, fighting was reported ongoing in several border areas, with no immediate indication of a halt to the operations. Israeli officials said the moves were defensive and targeted at Hezbollah military capabilities. Hezbollah described them as aggression on Lebanese territory.
