Israel begins ground offensive in southern Lebanon and expands conflict

The Israeli Army announced this Monday (16) the start of ground operations in southern Lebanon, expanding the military offensive against Hezbollah amid the regional escalation of the conflict.

The incursions are concentrated in the strategic region of Khiam and occur after days of bombings and evacuation orders that have already forced more than 800,000 people to leave their homes, while Israeli attacks in the country have left at least 850 dead, according to data cited by international vehicles.

The offensive on Lebanese territory takes place in the context of the war of aggression launched by the United States and Israel against Iran in early March.

Since then, clashes have spread across different fronts in the Middle East, with exchanges of attacks between Israel and Hezbollah along the border and intensification of Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon.

Israel claims that the ground incursions target Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon and are part of the strategy to expand the so-called “security zone” along the border.

However, since the resumption of fighting, Israeli attacks in Lebanon have left at least 850 people dead, including women and children, in addition to hundreds of injuries.

The military escalation also caused mass displacement of the population, with more than 800,000 people forced to leave their homes, according to reports published by international media outlets and humanitarian organizations.

The entry of Israeli troops into Lebanon was preceded by a new wave of aerial bombardments and artillery attacks against cities and villages in the region.

Among the places affected is the city of Khiam, considered strategic because it is located on high ground and controls routes that connect different areas of southern Lebanon to the Bekaa Valley, another region where Hezbollah maintains a political and military presence. In the last few hours, attacks have also been recorded in other locations in the south of the country.

Since the beginning of March, Hezbollah has been firing rockets and drones toward northern Israel in response to the death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, during attacks led by the United States and Israel. The exchange of attacks opened a new front of clashes on the border between Israel and Lebanon.

The fighting comes after a period of relative calm in Lebanon established by the ceasefire signed in November 2024.

The agreement, brokered by the United States, was subject to repeated violations by Israel over the following months.