Hezbollah has denied reports that Israeli troops have entered Lebanon, stating that its fighters are prepared for a “direct confrontation” if Israeli forces cross the border.
In its first statement since Israel announced ground operations, Hezbollah spokesperson Mohammed Afifi called the reports of Israeli forces entering Lebanon “false claims.”
Afifi declared that Hezbollah is ready to confront any Israeli forces that attempt to enter Lebanon, vowing to inflict casualties if they cross the border. He also warned that Hezbollah’s missile attacks on central Israel earlier Tuesday were “only the beginning.”
On the same day, the Israeli military issued evacuation warnings to nearly two dozen Lebanese border communities, urging residents to move north of the Awali River, some 60 kilometers (36 miles) from the border. This new warning expands beyond the Litani River, the northern boundary of the UN buffer zone established after the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.
