Israel starts 'limited' ground campaign in southern Lebanon

Israel's widely expected ground invasion of Lebanon appeared to be getting underway early on Tuesday as its military said troops had begun "focused and limited" raids against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.

The military said in a statement that it had begun "limited, localized, and targeted ground raids based on precise intelligence" against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon villages close to the border that posed "an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel."

It said the air force and artillery were supporting the ground forces with "precise strikes."

Residents in the Lebanese border town of Aita al-Shaab reported heavy shelling and the sound of helicopters and drones overhead. Flares were repeatedly launched over another Lebanese border town, Rmeish, lighting up the night sky.

The ground campaign represents an escalating conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Iran-backed militants that was sparked by a deadly raid by Palestinian group Hamas into Israel nearly a year ago.

It follows Israel's deadly detonation of booby-trapped Hezbollah pagers, two weeks of air strikes, and then its killing on Friday of Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah, one of the heaviest blows in decades to the group.

In the past 24 hours, at least 95 people had been killed and 172 wounded in Israeli strikes on Lebanon's southern regions, the eastern Bekaa Valley, and Beirut, Lebanon's Health Ministry said early on Tuesday.

Hezbollah's deputy leader Naim Qassem, in a first public speech on Monday since Nasrallah's death, said that "the resistance forces are ready for a ground engagement."

"We know that the battle may be long. We will win as we won in the liberation of 2006," he said, referring to the last big conflict between the two foes.

Jordan and Saudi Arabia on Monday expressed their support for Lebanon as Israel intensified its attacks on the country.

Ayman Safadi, Jordan's deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs and expatriates, condemned the recent Israeli attacks against Lebanon and reaffirmed Jordan's unwavering support for Lebanon on Monday in a phone call with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah highlighted the kingdom's support for security and stability in Lebanon during a phone call with Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib.

Amid escalating regional violence, Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said on Monday that Guterres remains deeply concerned about the humanitarian consequences of the events that are unfolding in Lebanon and continues to reiterate his call for de-escalation and a cessation of hostilities.

Dujarric said civilians continue to bear the brunt of the escalation of violence with a devastating human toll that keeps growing, prompting UN officials to prepare a new Flash Appeal for humanitarian funding, expected to be announced on Tuesday. It will mobilize additional resources for Lebanon to meet the growing needs of about 1 million people impacted by the increasing crisis.