THIS is the moment the Israeli invasion of Lebanon began as massive explosions rock the country and elite paratroops cross the border to battle Hezbollah.
The IDF said it began “limited” and “localised” ground raids against Hezbollah terrorist targets in southern Lebanon last night.
Nextatv/xIn footage reportedly from overnight shows a cosmic fireball fill the sky[/caption]
XIDF targeted several weapon production sites belonging to Hezbollah, they report[/caption]
Nextatv/xPlumes of black smoke could be seen filling the sky – despite it being night[/caption]
XParatroops were also captured preparing for the ground incursion[/caption]
Footage claimed to have been captured in southern Lebanon last night shows targeted raids against Hezbollah, as blinding explosions spread across the landscape.
Despite it being pitch black, plumes of black smoke are seen billowing into the night sky as the IDF continues to obliterate terrorist targets.
Drone footage of explosions shows more of the overnight airstrikes in the Hezbollah stronghold of Dahiyeh, Beirut.
An unbelievable blast results in a ring of fire extending before turning into a cosmic fireball that fills the sky.
Other footage shows rubble and debris flying while a tall building completely collapses in the IDF attacks it reports targeted several weapon production sites of Hezbollah.
The forces report that overnight precision strikes were carried out against weapons production facilities and infrastructure.
Troops of the IDF’s 98th division can also be seen in clips preparing to invade before leading the overnight ground operation in Lebanon.
Machinery, backpacks and helmets are all laid out in an organised fashion as troops are seen prepping for the ground incursion.
One troop is captured kneeling and firing his gun in preparations that have reportedly being ongoing in recent weeks.
Israel launched its showdown with Hezbollah terror troops last night with a ground invasion of southern Lebanon.
Lebanese media reported heavy shelling in the towns of Khiam and Wazzani, on the southern border with Israel.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller later confirmed Israel informed American allies about the raids, which he said were as “limited operations focused on Hezbollah infrastructure near the border”.
But more clashes were also reported early today as Hezbollah fighters claimed to have repelled a push into orchards in Adaisseh and Kafr Kela near the southern frontier.
More battlefields were reported to have erupted around the southern communities of Blida and Ainata.
Israeli sources said the focus of the operation was on clearing out Hezbollah terror sites to halt rocket attacks which have driven 60,000 from homes in Northern Israel in the last 11 months.
But analysts fear huge civilian casualties – and fallout which will suck regional and world powers into a widening war.
Troops and tanks last night stormed across the border hours after Israel revealed special forces had already attacked defence tunnels inside the country.
Rescue teams after an overnight Israeli airstrike at the southern port city of Sidon
An airstrike hit the Ruwais neighbourhood in Beirut early today
Israeli army tanks near the Lebanon border
In a statement just before midnight Monday UK time, the IDF said its boots on the ground were backed by artillery and the air force.
It dubbed the brave gambit against Iran’s proxy army, which has rained missiles on Israeli homes for nearly a year, Operation Northern Arrows.
The force described the invasion as “limited” and “localised” ground raids against Hezbollah terrorist targets in southern Lebanon that pose a threat to Israel.
The IDF revealed planning has been going on for months and was only launched after approval by political leaders.
They said: “The IDF began a few hours ago a targeted and demarcated ground operation in southern Lebanon against terrorist targets and infrastructures of the terrorist organisation Hezbollah.”
Israel’s army will face up to 50,000 Hezbollah fighters using a network of tunnels stacked with guns and ammunition and 100,000 rockets to defend against their technologically advanced foe.
Many of the paramilitary group’s soldiers are battle-hardened after fighting in the Syrian Civil War – but much of their leadership has recently been wiped out.
Israel hammered Damascus, in Syria, with rounds of airstrikes targeting a military airport, local media claimed, soon after the announcement.
The evacuation flight was confirmed amid fears of further escalation in the Middle East.
It is due to leave Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport on Wednesday.
The rescue flight is for British nationals and their spouses, partners and children under 18 who will be prioritised, according to the Foreign Office.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy described the situation in Lebanon as “volatile” and with the “potential to deteriorate quickly.”
He added: “The safety of British nationals in Lebanon continues to be our utmost priority.
“That’s why the UK Government is chartering a flight to help those wanting to leave.
“It is vital that you leave now as further evacuation may not be guaranteed.”
There are an estimated 5,000 British citizens in Lebanon and the Government says it is working on “all contingency options”.
It is understood around 15 spaces for British nationals were secured on a flight which arrived on Sunday, and a further 40 on the flight due to leave on Tuesday.
The IDF called on civilians in southern Lebanon to avoid driving in areas south of the Litani River.
The IDF’s spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee said on X: “There is intense fighting in southern Lebanon, in which Hezbollah operatives are using the civilian environment and you as a human shield to organize to carry out attacks.
“For your safety, we ask you to avoid movement in vehicles from the north to the south of the Litani River. This warning is valid until further notice.”
Lebanese troops have already pulled back five kilometres inside their own country, Reuters reports.
The move appeared to indicate that Lebanon was stepping aside to allow the showdown between the arch-enemies to begin.
Just hours before, Israel imposed a no-go military zone on the border and prohibited civilians from entering it.
Soon after, parts of southern Lebanon were said to have been shelled by tank and artillery fire.
Israel massed tanks, soldiers, and 13,000 reservists at its northern border with Lebanon in preparation for the strike.
The incursion comes 11 months after the October 7 terror attack by Hamas that killed 1,200 people in Israel.
Western allies have scrambled to broker a temporary ceasefire between terror group Hezbollah and Israel over the last few days – branding the escalation of violence “intolerable”.
But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected it and vowed to double down on Hezbollah with “full force”.
The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) pledged they will fight the Iran-backed paramilitary group “until victory”.
Hezbollah’s decade of destructive preperation
By Foreign News Reporter Juliana Cruz Lima
Following the 2006 Lebanon War, in which Israel and Hezbollah fought to a bloody standstill, the terror group began preparing for the next conflict.
They constructed a vast underground network across southern Lebanon.
The lessons of that war, in which Hezbollah’s small, mobile units were able to surprise and sometimes overpower Israeli forces, have been embedded in its military doctrine ever since.
The tunnels are now a key part of this strategy, allowing Hezbollah to replicate the tactics of insurgencies around the world: strike fast, disappear, and use the enemy’s size and strength against them.
Some of these tunnels have been found stretching into Israeli territory, designed to facilitate surprise raids deep inside northern Israel.
In 2018, the IDF launched Operation Northern Shield, a months-long mission to detect and destroy Hezbollah’s cross-border tunnels.
The discovery of these tunnels — some reinforced with concrete and running dozens of meters underground — revealed just how advanced Hezbollah’s capabilities had become.
Last month, Hezbollah revealed its hidden terror tunnel network from which missiles can be launched in a chilling threat to Israel.
A blood-curdling video released by the Lebanese terrorists revealed a giant underground roads with enough room for lorries to transport their deadly weapons.
Posters of leaders and soldiers adorn the tall stone walls as heavily armed men speed through the “missile city” in motorbikes.
Trucks loaded with enormous missiles make their way through the dark roads in a frightening glimpse of the terrorists’ arsenal.
Drone footage then shows the seemingly endless terror maze, which also appears to be home to military tech and computers.
Inside the terror tunnels, Hezbollah fighters can move unseen, store weapons, and launch ambushes, creating a dangerous cat-and-mouse game with the IDF.
They can also move into a much larger network of bunkers, missile silos, and command centres, deeply embedded in civilian areas.
These tunnels – which can stretch for miles – link critical positions, allowing Hezbollah fighters to emerge, strike, and then vanish back underground before Israel can respond.
Reports also suggest that Hezbollah has been expanding its tunnel network in southern Lebanon in recent weeks.
EPA Israeli artillery shells hit areas near villages in southern Lebanon on Monday[/caption]
APIsraeli tanks massed near the border ahead of the invasion[/caption]