Israel strengthens military presence in Lebanon after Iran attack

The Israeli military said Wednesday that regular infantry and armor units were joining ground operations in southern Lebanon against Iran-backed Hezbollah, as Israel prepared to retaliate against a barrage of Iranian missile attacks.

Israel, already fighting Hamas in Gaza, is strengthening its presence in southern Lebanon in the conflict with Hezbollah a day after an attack by Iran, raising fears that the oil-producing Middle East could be engulfed in a wider conflict.

The addition of infantry and armored troops from the 36th Division, including the Golani Brigade, 188th Armored Brigade and 6th Infantry Brigade, suggests that the operation had moved beyond limited commando raids.

The military says the ground operation is mainly aimed at destroying tunnels and other infrastructure on the border and there are no plans for a broader operation targeting Beirut or major cities in southern Lebanon.

Iran said Wednesday that its missile attack on Israel, the largest military attack on the country, was over unless there were further provocations, while Israel and the United States vowed to respond.

Israel will launch “significant retaliation” within days that could target oil production facilities in Iran and other strategic locations, American news website Axios reported on Wednesday, citing Israeli officials.

Despite calls for a ceasefire from the United Nations, the United States and the European Union, fighting between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah continued on Wednesday.

Israel has resumed bombing the southern suburbs of Beirut, a stronghold of the Iran-backed group, carrying out at least a dozen airstrikes on targets it says belong to the group.

NEW EVACUATION ORDERS

Large plumes of smoke could be seen over some suburbs. Israel issued new orders to evacuate the area, which was largely deserted after days of heavy strikes.

Hezbollah said it confronted Israeli forces infiltrating the Lebanese city of Adaisseh early Wednesday morning and forced them to retreat.

Iran said Tuesday’s attack on Israel targeted only military facilities. Iran’s state news agency reported that three Israeli military bases were targeted.

Tehran said its attack was in response to Israeli killings of militant leaders and aggression in Lebanon against Hezbollah and Gaza.

“Our action will end unless the Israeli regime decides to invite further retaliation. In such a scenario, our response will be stronger and more powerful,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a post on X early Wednesday morning.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a counterattack. “Iran made a big mistake tonight and will pay for it,” he said at the beginning of an emergency meeting of the political security cabinet late on Tuesday, according to a statement.

Washington said it would work with longtime ally Israel to ensure Iran suffers the “serious consequences” of Tuesday’s attack, which Israel says used more than 180 ballistic missiles.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant late last night and said Washington was “well prepared” to defend its interests in the Middle East, the Pentagon said in a statement.

The Pentagon said U.S. Navy warships fired about a dozen interceptors against Iranian missiles heading toward Israel. Britain said its forces played a role “in trying to prevent further escalation in the Middle East”, without going into detail.

The Pentagon said Tuesday’s airstrikes were about twice as large as Iran’s April attack on Israel.

“THE ANSWER WILL BE PAINFUL”

Israel activated air defenses against Iran’s bombing on Tuesday, and most of the missiles were intercepted “by Israel and the U.S.-led defense coalition,” Israeli Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a video.

“Iran’s attack represents a serious and dangerous escalation,” he added.

In a statement to state media, the general staff of Iran’s armed forces said any Israeli response would be met with “massive destruction” of the latter’s infrastructure.

It also stated that it would attack the regional assets of any Israeli ally that got involved.

Concerns that Iran and the United States could be drawn into a regional war have increased with Israel’s mounting attack on Lebanon over the past two weeks, including the launch of a ground operation there on Monday, while the conflict in Gaza has been raging for a year.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol met with his national security and economic advisers on Wednesday on the conflict in the Middle East and called for a quick but measured response to any impact on the country’s energy supplies, his office said.

Lebanese government statistics on Tuesday showed that almost a year of cross-border fighting in Lebanon has killed almost 1,900 people and injured more than 9,000, most in the past two weeks.