Israel’s cabinet was meeting on Monday evening to discuss whether and when to launch a major ground operation in southern Lebanon, which would be Israel’s first there in nearly two decades.The New York Times reports that Israeli commando units have recently entered Lebanon in preparation for a potential ground invasion. According to sources, the incursions were focused on gathering intelligence on Hezbollah’s positions and infrastructure, with the intention of launching targeted attacks from the air or ground. The Israeli military has not commented on these reports.

The decision to launch a major ground operation in southern Lebanon, which would be Israel’s first in nearly two decades, was discussed by the Israeli cabinet on Monday evening. However, American officials have stated that they believe they have convinced Israel to only conduct smaller, targeted incursions. This understanding was reached after intense discussions over the weekend, during which the US saw signs that a major ground operation was imminent.

Despite this, Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, has hinted at the possibility of sending ground troops into Lebanon. In a statement, he promised that the next phase of the war against Hezbollah would significantly change the security situation and allow displaced Israelis to return home. However, Hezbollah has stated that they will confront Israeli troops if a full invasion occurs.

Officials believe that if a broader operation does proceed, Israel will focus on destroying Hezbollah’s military infrastructure near the border through cross-border raids, rather than advancing deep into Lebanon. This is due to the difficult terrain in southern Lebanon, which could make it challenging for an invading army to occupy large areas of land. These recent developments suggest that Israel is looking to take advantage of Hezbollah’s weakened state. 

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