Israeli forces launched ground operations against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon on Monday, opening a new front in an expanding regional conflict, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said.

The military said the operations were aimed at Hezbollah strongholds near the border.

Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, said the objective was to eliminate threats and protect communities in northern Israel.

Mr Katz added that hundreds of thousands of residents who had evacuated from southern Lebanon south of the Litani River would not be allowed to return until Israeli border communities were secured.

He said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ordered the military to dismantle what he described as “terror infrastructure” in Lebanese border villages, similar to operations previously conducted against Hamas in Gaza.

Mr Katz also warned that Israel could target Naim Qassem, secretary-general of Hezbollah.

Security sources said Israeli troops, supported by Merkava tanks and armoured personnel carriers, advanced early Monday toward the towns of Khiam and Aitaroun.

The operation was backed by airstrikes, artillery fire, and drone attacks.

The heaviest fighting was reported in the eastern sector near Khiam, while troops also moved toward Aitaroun, Yaroun, and Bint Jbeil in the central sector.

In western areas, Israeli forces targeted several villages before withdrawing to positions near Labbouneh after coming under missile and artillery fire from Hezbollah fighters.

Hezbollah said its forces repelled several Israeli advances, claiming to have struck a Merkava tank near the Khiam detention centre and fired rockets at Israeli troop positions near the Kfar Yuval settlement.

Sources said Israeli troops established positions at around 15 points along the border, advancing between one and three kilometres north of the Blue Line, the United Nations-demarcated boundary between Israel and Lebanon.

The escalation follows a regional conflict that started on February 28 after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian facilities.

Hezbollah resumed attacks days after the killing of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the strike.

(Xinhua/NAN)