Israel is reportedly moving toward a large-scale ground operation in southern Lebanon aimed at dismantling Hezbollah’s arsenal and pushing the terror group farther from the border, as the conflict has already forced more than one million Lebanese civilians from their homes.

Two weeks ago, Israel called on residents living south of the Litani River—roughly one-eighth of Lebanon’s territory—to evacuate the area. While hundreds of thousands complied, others chose to remain, including some Christian communities that sought to stay out of the fighting. Hezbollah fighters have often positioned themselves near such villages, using them as areas less likely to be targeted.

Lebanon’s Ministry of Social Affairs announced Monday that the number of displaced people has surpassed one million, with more than 132,000 officially registered as refugees. The mass movement of civilians has extended as far as the outskirts of Beirut.

“Before this attack we were ready for a ceasefire in Lebanon, but after it there is no way back from a massive operation,” an Israeli official said, referring to the barrage of more than 200 rockets fired by Hezbollah at northern Israel last Wednesday in coordination with Iran.

The Israel Defense Forces warned Tuesday that Israeli residents should brace for intensified rocket fire from Lebanon. According to the IDF, Hezbollah had been preparing to launch as many as 600 rockets in a coordinated strike, but Israeli preemptive actions destroyed a significant portion of the group’s launch capabilities.

The military has also faced criticism for not alerting civilians ahead of last week’s heavy rocket attack. Officials responded that providing advance warning would have compromised sensitive intelligence and allowed Hezbollah to adjust its plans, whereas the lack of warning enabled Israel to strike a substantial number of launchers both before and after the assault.

Under the ceasefire that ended the previous round of fighting in 2023—when Hezbollah joined Hamas in the Gaza war—the Lebanese army was obligated to disarm Hezbollah and prevent it from maintaining large rocket stockpiles near Israeli communities. The recent attacks suggest that commitment was not fulfilled.

Israel has repeatedly faulted Lebanon for failing to enforce that agreement, and the scale of Hezbollah’s recent rocket fire has reinforced those concerns. As a result, Israeli officials have shown little interest in new ceasefire proposals from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, expressing doubts about his ability to carry out promises to dismantle Hezbollah’s military infrastructure.

In recent days, Aoun and other Lebanese leaders have spoken more openly against Hezbollah, criticizing the Iran-backed group for dragging Lebanon into another destructive conflict. Despite the stronger rhetoric, Israeli officials remain unconvinced that the Lebanese government will take meaningful action.

“This is only the beginning, and the Lebanese government and the Lebanese state will pay an increasing price through damage to Lebanese national infrastructure that is used by Hezbollah terrorists,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Saturday.

“The Lebanese government, which misled and did not fulfill its commitment to disarm Hezbollah, will pay increasing prices through damage to infrastructure and the loss of territory, until the central commitment of disarming Hezbollah is fulfilled,” he said.

The IDF confirmed Tuesday that it has already begun what it described as “limited and targeted ground operations” inside Lebanon, including strikes on “key Hezbollah strongholds.”

“This activity is part of broader defensive efforts to establish and strengthen a forward defensive posture, which includes the dismantling of terrorist infrastructure and the elimination of terrorists operating in the area, in order to remove threats and create an additional layer of security for residents of northern Israel,” the IDF said.

According to the military, Hezbollah has deployed hundreds of fighters from its elite Radwan Force, trained to operate in small, mobile units designed to evade Israeli airstrikes. Israeli media reports indicate that three full IDF divisions are advancing into southern Lebanon to confront them.

Lebanese authorities say at least 886 people have been killed in Israeli strikes so far, including 111 children. The IDF reported that two Israeli soldiers have died in ground combat. Reports also indicate that several Lebanese paramedics were killed while responding to strike sites, though Israel has accused Hezbollah of using ambulances to transport fighters.

A report from The Washington Post on Wednesday indicated that frustration with Hezbollah is growing within Lebanon, including among Shiite communities that the group claims to represent.

The backlash may weaken Hezbollah’s standing as a political force, potentially reducing its support base. In an unusual move earlier this month, its ally, the Amal Movement, voted—symbolically—to ban Hezbollah’s armed activities within Lebanon.

Some Lebanese Shiites told The Washington Post they were stunned by Hezbollah’s decision to involve the country in Iran’s war, particularly during the month of Ramadan, without regard for the civilian population. Even some longtime supporters voiced anger, saying the group appeared to be acting as an arm of Iran rather than representing Lebanese interests, as it has claimed in past conflicts.

Others pointed out that even Hamas has not joined Iran’s current confrontation, with the group instead urging its “brothers in Tehran” to stop launching attacks on neighboring countries.

{Matzav.com}