Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburb early on October 1, 2024. (Photo by Fadel Itani / AFP)
Beirut, Lebanon: The Israeli military said Tuesday that troops have started "ground raids" in villages in southern Lebanon, after Hezbollah said it had targeted "enemy soldiers" at the countries' border.
A Lebanese security official said Israel had also conducted at least six strikes on south Beirut, while Syrian state media reported deadly strikes around the capital Damascus.
Despite international calls for de-escalation, Israel has vowed to keep fighting Hezbollah and declared a military zone in parts of its border with Lebanon.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant warned the battle was not over, even after a massive strike on Beirut that killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday, dealing the group a seismic blow.
Israel's military said troops, backed by airstrikes and artillery, launched ground raids targeting Hezbollah "in villages close to the border".
The targets "pose an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel", the military said.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin late Monday gave Washington's backing to Israel "dismantling attack infrastructure along the border".
Hezbollah has said it is "ready if Israel decides to enter by land".
Deadly strikes on Damascus
As Israel announced its ground raids, Syria's official news agency SANA said the country's air defence systems had intercepted three rounds of strikes in the Damascus area.
State television said anchor Safaa Ahmad was killed "in the Israeli aggression" on Damascus, while SANA reported three civilians killed and nine others wounded.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which has carried out hundreds of strikes on Syria in recent years.
World leaders have urged de-escalation, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's spokesman Stephane Dujarric saying: "We do not want any sort of ground invasion."
