The Israeli invasion of Lebanon has begun – and there are reports of heavy fighting between units of the Israel Defense Forces and Hezbollah in south Lebanon, accompanied by airstrikes and shelling of Hezbollah positions.
For the past year, many have feared that the war between Israel and Hamas will spill over into neighbouring countries and drag the Middle East into a devastating conflict. Now Israel has launched what it is calling a “limited ground operation” which it claims is designed to clear Hezbollah out of south Lebanon.
In mid-September, Israel announced it was shifting its defence policy towards its northern border, where 70,000 people had been displaced over the past year by rockets fired by Hezbollah. Defence minister Yoav Gallant said its war aims had shifted to include ensuring these civilians could return to their homes in safety.
