Israel Unleashes Expansive Military Campaign Against Hezbollah in Lebanon

Mon Mar 23 2026 17:35:27 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Israel's military intensifies its offensive against Hezbollah, escalating concerns of a ground invasion and humanitarian crisis in Lebanon.

The Israeli Defense Forces have authorized the expansion of ground and air strikes against Hezbollah, following increased rocket fire from the group. The situation continues to escalate, with devastating consequences reported, including over 1,000 fatalities in Lebanon and significant displacement of civilians. Israeli officials assert the operations are aimed at protecting northern Israel from Hezbollah actions, fueling fears of a potential large-scale invasion.

The Israeli military says plans for the expansion of ground and air attacks against the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah have been approved, amid fears in Lebanon that Israel is preparing a large-scale ground invasion of the country.

Israel has intensified its campaign against Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia and political party, after the group fired rockets into Israel earlier this month amid the war between the US and Israel against Iran.

Since then, more than 1,000 people have been killed in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese health ministry, including at least 118 children and 40 health workers.

More than a million people have been displaced, which could lead to a major humanitarian crisis.

Israeli officials say the aim is to protect communities in northern Israel from Hezbollah attacks. On Sunday, the Israeli military said the chief of the general staff, Lt Gen Eyal Zamir, had approved plans 'to advance the targeted ground operations and strikes' against Hezbollah, describing this as a 'prolonged operation'.

This follows a statement by the defence minister, Israel Katz, who said Israeli forces had been instructed to destroy the crossings over the Litani river, which were being used by Hezbollah to send reinforcements. An Israeli airstrike subsequently damaged the Qasmiye bridge, a crucial route linking the south to central Lebanon near the coastal city of Tyre.

Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun condemned the Israeli strikes as a 'prelude to a ground invasion' and a 'policy of collective punishment' against civilians. There are fears of a strategic Israeli plan to isolate southern Lebanon, the stronghold of Hezbollah, from the rest of the country.

Katz also indicated that Israeli forces had been directed to demolish homes in border villages to neutralize threats to Israeli settlements, mirroring strategies previously deployed in operations against Hamas in Gaza.

The escalation follows a series of events tied to a broader conflict ignited by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which left roughly 1,200 Israelis dead.

The Lebanese government has vowed to disarm Hezbollah, yet the group remains steadfast in maintaining its arsenal, complicating any resolution to the ongoing conflict.