Here on the Israeli side of the border, tanks and aircraft have been on the move, as the ground war that Israel and Hezbollah had avoided for almost two decades began.
On Sunday night, helicopters and jets flew low across this border, to the regular “crump” of artillery and occasional loud explosions.
Israel’s army says its ground forces crossed the border last night in a “limited and targeted” incursion, but it’s not immediately clear how many units have been sent in, and where.
Israel says its aim is to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure along the border that it says poses an imminent threat to Israeli communities.
Hezbollah – well armed with anti-tank missiles and mines – has been preparing to meet Israeli forces on this terrain for years.
As the ground war that Israel and Hezbollah had avoided for nearly two decades began, tanks and aircraft were moving here on the Israeli side of the border.
A few miles from the border, fields that were home to numerous tanks the day before, are now emptying; nearly all of the fighting force has left, and a column of armored vehicles was getting ready to withdraw.
Sunday night, to the regular “crump” of artillery and sporadic loud explosions, helicopters and jets flew low over this border.
Hezbollah claims to have fired rockets at Israeli troops this morning near the border at Metula and Avivim. A few audible interceptions were also reported to have occurred directly overhead, a little further south.
Israeli artillery was still firing this morning at an army checkpoint outside Metula, where a group of soldiers were waiting to enter.
In a “limited and targeted” incursion, the Israeli army claims that its ground forces crossed the border last night. However, it is currently unknown how many units and where they were sent in.
The operations were “very limited in scope,” according to a senior security official, and there were “no clashes” as of right now.
In response to a question about the depth of Israeli forces’ incursion into Lebanon, he said that they were “very close, walking distance – not far in” and that the numbers involved were not indicative of a massive ground invasion but rather of something smaller.
Israel claims that its objective is to demolish Hezbollah infrastructure along the border, claiming that it presents an immediate threat to Israeli communities.
However, there are serious risks to its army when sending ground troops into Lebanon, even for a short distance.
For years, Hezbollah has been getting ready to confront Israeli forces on this ground, well-prepared with anti-tank missiles and mines.
The Israeli army’s plans to advance into Lebanese territory are not entirely clear; it is unclear if the goal is to eliminate the threat of infiltration by Hezbollah fighters and tunnels, or if the Israelis intend to drive the group further north, which would be a much more dangerous and massive operation.
