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BEIRUT (AP) — Israeli ground forces have advanced further into Lebanon, marking their deepest incursion since the start of their military operations six weeks ago. Reports from Lebanese state media indicated that the troops engaged in fierce combat with Hezbollah militants before retreating early Saturday.
According to the state-run National News Agency, Israeli soldiers took control of a key hill in the southern village of Chamaa, located approximately 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the border with Israel, early Saturday. However, this position was later lost as the troops faced intense resistance.
The reports also claimed that during their withdrawal, Israeli forces destroyed the Shrine of Shimon the Prophet in Chamaa, along with several residential buildings, although these claims remain unverified at this time.
Israel’s military issued a statement emphasizing that its operations in southern Lebanon remain “limited, localized, and targeted.” They did not, however, respond to the specifics of the reports from Lebanese media.
This escalation on the ground coincided with intensified airstrikes by Israeli warplanes, targeting various locations in southern Lebanon, including Beirut’s southern suburbs and the port city of Tyre.
In Beirut, the strike targeted the Dahiyeh area, which is recognized as a Hezbollah stronghold. The Israeli military stated their operations focused on multiple sites utilized by the militant group, with residents reportedly warned in advance; however, details regarding potential casualties were not immediately available.
The surge in violence comes amid ongoing discussions among Lebanese officials and Hezbollah regarding a proposal from the United States aimed at establishing a cease-fire and bringing an end to the conflict.
Since late September, Israeli airstrikes have significantly escalated, with the objective to dismantle Hezbollah’s capabilities and to minimize its missile attacks on Israel. According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, over 3,400 fatalities have been reported due to Israeli bombardments, with 80% of these occurring over the past eight weeks.
On Friday, Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister expressed hope that Iran could persuade Hezbollah to consider a cease-fire with Israel. This deal would necessitate the group withdrawing from the Israel-Lebanon border region. The proposal is said to reference U.N. Security Council resolution 1701, which concluded the last major conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in the summer of 2006.
The proposal was delivered earlier to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri by the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, who is involved in negotiations on behalf of Hezbollah. A Lebanese official, speaking on condition of anonymity, indicated that Berri is expected to present Lebanon’s response to the proposal by Monday.
Another Lebanese politician confirmed that Hezbollah officials are reviewing the proposal and will communicate their stance through Berri. This source also requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the discussions.
Berri has stated in an interview that the draft proposal does not include provisions that authorize Israel to take military action in Lebanon should the agreement be violated. “We will not accept any infringement of our sovereignty,” he affirmed.
He also noted that Lebanon opposes a suggestion within the draft to create a supervisory committee for the agreement featuring members from Western nations. Ongoing discussions regarding this issue and various other points in the draft are taking place, with Berri suggesting that “the atmosphere is positive but everything depends on the outcome.”
Simultaneously, there are efforts to halt the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, which escalated following a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, resulting in around 1,200 deaths — predominantly civilians — along with the abduction of about 250 individuals.
The U.N. Security Council’s elected members recently distributed a draft resolution demanding an “immediate, unconditional and permanent cease-fire” in Gaza.
The U.S. plays a pivotal role in whether this resolution will pass in the Security Council, while the four other permanent members—Russia, China, Britain, and France—are inclined to support it or abstain.
The Gaza Health Ministry reported that recent Israeli strikes resulted in 35 additional deaths in the last 24 hours, totaling approximately 43,799 fatalities since the start of the conflict, with more than half being women and children.
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