IDF special forces operate within Lebanon, target Hezbollah

The IDF has expanded its engagement with Hezbollah, undertaking multiple operations in southern Lebanon, it announced on Tuesday.

The initial report was made that IDF special ground forces operated inside Lebanon, killing a terror threat in the Ita al-Sha'ab area.

Additionally, Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked an anti-tank launcher belonging to the terrorist organization Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

Early afternoon Tuesday, the IDF reported additional joint strikes to targets in the area.

"A short while ago, the IDF completed combined aerial and artillery strikes on a number of Hezbollah terror targets in the area of Wadi Saluki in Lebanon," the statement said.

"Within a short amount of time, strikes were carried out against dozens of Hezbollah posts, military structures, and weapons infrastructure. Hezbollah is exploiting the area of the Wadi for its terrorist activity. Numerous assets and infrastructure have been concealed by the terror organization in the forested area, for the purpose of attacking Israeli civilians and soldiers."

On Sunday, Hezbollah killed two Israeli civilians when it fired an anti-tank missile at a civilian residence in Yuval Village. 

Though that was the only civilian death in the area, Hezbollah also fired anti-tank missiles at a variety of other civilian locations.

This came not long after Hezbollah attacked a key IDF air defense base on January 6 and the IDF Northern Command headquarters on January 9.

Likewise, Hezbollah's escalation came after the IDF has spent recent months gradually escalating attacks against Hezbollah forces in various southern Lebanon villages in order to push them back to an area around the Litani River.

In addition, the IDF has taken credit for killing Hezbollah's drone chief in southern Lebanon and has been accused by Hezbollah of killing its Radwan chief as well as Hamas's Deputy Chief Saleh al-Arouri while he was visiting Beirut.

Hezbollah denies IDF's claim that ground troops operated in Lebanon

According to Hezbollah-affiliated news outlet al-Mayadeen, a different course of events took place.

They claim that soldiers from the Maglan commando unit attempted to infiltrate the border near the al-Raheb military site to plant surveillance devices but were noticed and aborted the mission.

The IDF has yet to provide more details on the operation as of Tuesday morning.

The IDF released this statement regarding Hezbollah

The Israeli military is more prepared than ever for war with Hezbollah in the North, IDF's OC Northern Command Maj.-Gen. Uri Gordin told his reservists following a training drill simulating operations deep inside Lebanon.

"We are more prepared than ever...we can [go to war] tonight if needed," Gordin said. "We struck many terror cells in the North, more than 150 were destroyed, and a lot of their capabilities have been taken away.

"We are working to peel away Hezbollah's capabilities and pushing it as far back as possible. There is much more to do to bring the desired result of improved security in order to return northern Israeli residents to their homes."

It is unclear if Hezbollah would itself now escalate its attacks - it has 150,000 rockets and mortars, including longer-range precision rockets that can hit most of Israel - or whether both sides would step back from the recent escalation.

Around 180 Hezbollah and Hamas terrorists have been killed in Lebanon since October, while just under 20 IDF soldiers and civilians have been killed.

Israel has expressed hope for a diplomatic solution, including a Hezbollah withdrawal along the lines of UN Resolution 1701 from 2006, but to date, the terror group has resisted, and defense officials have said time is running lower to avoid a larger war.