Hezbollah ready for 'direct confrontation' as Israel claims ground attack on Lebanon – key updates

A few days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said they would continue to degrade Hezbollah until all of its objectives were achieved, Israeli soldiers began “targeted ground attacks” and air strikes in Lebanon.

However, as conflict intensifies in the Middle East, Hezbollah has vowed to keep fighting following the death of its long-time boss Hassan Nasrallah.

Daniel Hagari, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), released a video statement on Tuesday, saying troops were deployed against Hezbollah to ensure Israeli citizens could return to their homes in the north.

The Israeli army has also revealed that it has carried out dozens of ground attacks in southern Lebanon for almost a year.

“The IDF continues to fight and act to achieve the war goals, doing everything necessary to protect the citizens of the State of Israel and return the residents of the north safely to their homes,” Hagari added in a post on X.

Hezbollah denies ground attack

The militant group denied that Israeli troops had entered Lebanon. According to the AP, Hezbollah spokesman Mohammed Afif rejected what he called “false claims” about an Israeli invasion.

Hezbollah is ready for “a direct confrontation with hostile forces that dare or attempt to invade Lebanon,” Afif said in his statement.

Israel warns of evacuation

Meanwhile, the Israeli military has ordered nearly two dozen Lebanese border communities to evacuate. “You must immediately move north of the Awali River to save yourself and leave your homes immediately,” the Israeli military statement on Platform X said.

AP reported that Israel has advised people to evacuate north of the Awali River, about 60 kilometers (36 miles) from the border and much further than the Litani River, which marks the northern edge of a United Nations-declared zone , which was intended to serve as a buffer between Israel and Hezbollah after their war in 2006.

Israel will be stopped “sooner or later”: Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Israel's ground operation in Lebanon and called on the United Nations and other international organizations to stop Israel without “wasting any more time.”

“Whatever it does, Israel will be stopped sooner or later,” Erdogan told the Turkish parliament at the start of the legislative year.

“All governmental and international organizations, especially the UN, must stop Israel without wasting any more time. “The 'terror and genocide' that Israel committed in Gaza has reached Lebanon and the Israeli leadership will set its sights on Turkey if it is not stopped,” AFP quoted Erdogan as saying.

Israel must withdraw troops from Lebanon: Russia

We demand an immediate withdrawal of troops from southern Lebanon and a genuine search for peaceful ways to resolve the Middle East conflict.

“We express our solidarity with the leadership and people of friendly Lebanon, which has been subjected to armed aggression,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

UN warns of ground invasion

The United Nations warned Israel against a “large-scale ground invasion,” saying it would only lead to greater suffering.

“As armed violence between Israel and Hezbollah boils over, the consequences for civilians are already dire,” AFP quoted Liz Throssell, spokeswoman for the UN rights office, as saying.

Lufthansa extends suspension of flights to Beirut

Given the escalation of the conflict and the current situation, Lufthansa has extended its flight suspension to Beirut and Tel Aviv.

The German airline group has said that flights to Beirut will now be suspended until November 30th. Flights to Tel Aviv will remain canceled until October 31st. Flights to Tehran will remain canceled until October 14th.