Israel's invasion of Lebanon
Israel launched a major ground invasion into southern Lebanon yesterday, deploying tanks and troops over the border in a significant escalation against Hezbollah.
Heavy artillery fire preceded the first reports of ground clashes as Israeli troops engaged with Hezbollah militants entrenched in defensive positions.
The primary objective of the operation is to dismantle Hezbollah’s terror sites, which have been launching rocket attacks that have displaced over 60,000 residents from northern Israel over the past 11 months, according to Israeli sources.
Israel informed its American allies about "limited operations focused on Hezbollah infrastructure near the border", US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller later confirmed.
Benjamin Netanyahu issues warning
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu slammed Iran for making a "big mistake" and has threatened "it will pay for it".
He warned: "There is also a deliberate and murderous hand behind this attack - it comes from Tehran.
"We will stand by the rule we established: whoever attacks us - we will attack him."
Israel intercepts missiles after Iran launches rockets
Last night, Israel was hit by an unprecedented 180-missile barrage, marking a dramatic escalation in the ongoing conflict with Iran and its regional allies.
Alerts were triggered across Israel late Tuesday afternoon after US satellites detected ballistic missiles being moved to launch sites in western Iran.
Israeli defence systems intercepted the majority of the rockets as they soared through the skies above Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa.
The assault comes just days after Israel assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, an operation that has further inflamed tensions across the region.