Aiming to Return Displaced Israelis, IDF Pushes into Lebanon

Troops are now operating in ‘second line of villages’ to remove Hezbollah threat of invasion and direct missile fire, though rockets will still fly unless a ceasefire is reached

SOUTHERN LEBANON — After a night of rain, the army’s routes into southern Lebanon were coated in a very thick layer of mud. A soldier driving a Humvee with a group of journalists this week came prepared with a waterproof suit and goggles.

“Hold on tight,” the driver said, as the army vehicle sped down a sharp slope after crossing the border from Israel into the western sector of southern Lebanon, splashing mud and rainwater into the air.

Earlier this month, the Israel Defense Forces had expanded its ground operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Troops have pushed into what the military calls the “second line” of villages, after largely completing its operations against the Lebanese terror group in the border-adjacent towns.

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