Lebanon is withdrawing its troops as Israel prepares for a ground attack

Lebanese troops have withdrawn from positions along Lebanon’s southern border with Israel to at least five kilometers north of the border, a Lebanese security source told Reuters on Monday.

Signs grew Monday that Israel was close to sending ground troops to Lebanon, two weeks after the start of an attack on the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia that culminated in the assassination of its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

Israeli media quoted Defense Minister Yoav Gallant as telling armored troops near the Lebanese border: “Eliminating Nasrallah is an important step, but not the end – to bring northern residents safely back to their homes, we will use all our capabilities.” activate – including…”You.”

The Israeli military also declared the areas around the communities of Metula, Misgav Am and Kfar Giladi in northern Israel near the border with Lebanon a military exclusion zone and said access to these areas was prohibited.

The decision was made after an assessment of the situation, it said.

In Washington, the State Department said Israel had informed the United States that it was conducting limited ground operations focused on Hezbollah’s infrastructure in Lebanon, near the border with Israel.

“They have informed us that they are currently conducting limited operations targeting Hezbollah infrastructure near the border,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters on Monday.

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters the positioning of Israeli troops suggested a ground attack could be imminent.

After two weeks of intense airstrikes and a series of assassinations of Hezbollah commanders, Israel is increasingly indicating that a land invasion is imminent.

Miller said the United States continues to support a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, but added that military pressure can sometimes enable diplomacy. He warned that military pressure could also lead to misjudgments and unintended consequences.

(REUTERS)