Members of the South Yamas special forces counter-terrorist unit seen during a training operation with military helicopters in southern Israel. (Nati Shohat/FLASH90)
Israeli military announces ground operation in southern Lebanon amid reports that IDF special forces units were deployed in Iran.
By David Rosenberg, World Israel News
Israel launched a ground campaign in southern Lebanon, the IDF announced on Tuesday morning amid reports that Israeli special forces units have been deployed to Iran.
According to an army spokesperson, elements of the IDF’s 91st Division, also known as the Galilee Division, crossed the border into southern Lebanon, taking up positions in strategically important areas near the Israel-Lebanon frontier “as part of a strategy to reinforce the forward defensive line.”
The deployment is intended to bolster security for towns in northern Israel while the Israeli Air Force continues to strike Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon and the Beirut area.
The incursion into southern Lebanon comes after Hezbollah terrorists launched multiple rockets and suicide drones at northern Israel before dawn on Monday.
“The Hezbollah terrorist organization chose to join the campaign and act on Iran’s behalf, and it will bear the consequences of its actions,” the Israeli military said. “The IDF will not allow harm to the citizens of the State of Israel and will continue to act by every means to protect them.”
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz (Likud) said the IDF will “advance and hold” key positions in Lebanon, without suggesting how long the deployment could last.
“To prevent the possibility of direct fire at Israeli communities, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have authorized the IDF to advance and hold additional dominant terrain in Lebanon and defend the border communities from there,” Katz said.
“The IDF continues to operate forcefully against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The terrorist organization is paying and will pay a heavy price for the fire toward Israel.”
Israeli ground forces also operated in Iran Monday night, according to an unconfirmed report by Saudi Arabia’s Al Arabiya news channel.
According to the report, the operation was a joint effort by IDF special forces units and the Mossad.
No details regarding the nature of the operation were provided.
The IDF has not responded to the report.
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