Israel invades Lebanon – LIVE UPDATES

West Jerusalem announced the start of cross-border ground raids in the early hours of Tuesday

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the beginning of “limited, localized, and targeted ground raids” against the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon on Tuesday.

The goal of the operation is to ensure the safety of Israeli citizens living in the northern part of the country, the IDF said.

Hezbollah has been launching barrages of rockets at Israel in what it had said was an act of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.

The incursion comes after more than a week of intense strikes that killed over 1,000 people in Lebanon. During the bombing campaign, the IDF killed several senior Hezbollah members, including the group’s long-time leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

The IDF occupied parts of southern Lebanon from 1982 to 2000 in what became known as the First Lebanon War in Israel.

Israel invaded Lebanon again in 2006, which resulted in a 34-day conflict with Hezbollah.