Israel Pounds Hezbollah With Air Strikes, Artillery As Ground Incursion Begins

 The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced early Tuesday morning that it has launched its official ground operation to remove Hezbollah from along Lebanon’s southern border with Israel.

The IDF called the invasion — dubbed Operation “Northern Arrows” — a series of “limited, localized, and targeted raids” against Hezbollah terrorist targets and infrastructure “based on precise intelligence.”

“These targets are located in villages close to the border and pose an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel,” the statement said. “The IDF is operating according to a methodical plan set out by the General Staff and the Northern Command which IDF soldiers have trained and prepared for in recent months.”

The statement said that the Israel Air Force (IAF) was supporting ground forces in addition to IDF Artillery support that was seen unloading on terrorist positions.

The incursion into southern Lebanon comes after Israel has wiped out Hezbollah’s entire senior command and hundreds of additional lower level commanders across the Iranian-backed terrorist group.

The U.S. is sending several thousand more troops to the region to act as a deterrent against Iranian aggression against Israel and American interests in the region.

The U.S. already has 40,000 troops spread across the region who are able to respond if there is any kind of serious escalation. The U.S. also has multiple carrier strike groups and a full array of aerial assets ready for use in the region.