Israel ramps up preparation for ground operation in Lebanon: military chief

This photo taken on Sept. 25, 2024 shows smoke rising following an Israeli airstrike in Khiam, Lebanon. Israel intensified its air campaign across Lebanon for a third consecutive day on Wednesday, resulting in at least 24 deaths and over 200 injuries, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. (Photo by Taher Abu Hamdan/Xinhua)

JERUSALEM, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Israel is ramping up preparations for a ground offensive against Hezbollah, military chief Herzi Halevi said Wednesday, the third day of Israel's most intense bombardment of Lebanon since 2006.

"You hear the jets overhead ... We have been striking all day. Both to prepare the ground for your possible entry (into Lebanon) and to continue degrading Hezbollah," Halevi told troops of the 7th Armored Brigade during a drill near the Israel-Lebanon border.

His remarks followed Hezbollah's statement earlier on Wednesday that it had expanded its range of fire and launched a ballistic missile to attack the headquarters of Israel's intelligence agency, Mossad, in the north of Tel Aviv. The missile was intercepted, but Halevi warned that Hezbollah would face a "very strong response," urging troops to "prepare yourselves."

Halevi stressed that there would be no let-up in Israel's military operation, which began on Monday. "We are not stopping," he said, asserting that Israel is preparing to maneuver into villages in Lebanon. "Your military boots will enter enemy territory, enter villages that Hezbollah has prepared as large military outposts with underground infrastructure, staging points, and launch pads (for attacks) into our territory," he told the commanders. "You will go in, destroy the enemy there, and decisively dismantle their infrastructure."

The goal, Halevi said, is to create conditions for displaced residents to return to their homes in northern Israel, where cross-border exchanges of fire with Hezbollah have intensified since October last year, running parallel to a war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Since Monday, Israel has conducted its most extensive attacks on Lebanon since 2006, resulting in more than 550 deaths and over 1,835 injuries across the country. The bombardment has also displaced many residents.

The sharp escalation has raised concerns about a potential full-scale conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, with fears that other regional powers could also be sucked in.

Medics apply medical treatment to an injured boy in Tripoli, Lebanon, on Sept. 25, 2024. (Photo by Khaled Habashiti/Xinhua)

This photo shows smoke caused by Israeli raids in Marjeyoun, Lebanon, on Sept. 23, 2024. (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua)

An Israeli anti-missile system launches missiles to intercept rockets fired from Lebanon, as seen from Haifa, in northern Israel, on Sept. 24, 2024. (Photo by Jamal Awad/Xinhua)