Israel has issued a warning that it will deploy "all the means" at its disposal to strike the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, amid growing concerns about a possible ground invasion of Lebanon.
"The next phase in the war against Hezbollah will begin soon," Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said during a meeting with local council leaders in northern Israel on Monday, according to a statement from his office.
Earlier, Gallant told Israeli troops that the country would "use all the means that may be required... from the air, from the sea, and on land."
To ensure displaced residents in the border areas can return home safely, "we will employ all of our capabilities, and this includes you," Gallant told the soldiers.
Some Israeli forces have already conducted limited ground operations in Lebanon, as reported by several international media outlets. In recent days, Israel's air force has also bombarded targets across the country.
Israel has killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and several top commanders in airstrikes on southern Beirut suburbs and continued bombarding Hezbollah positions in eastern and southern Lebanon. Over 1,000 people have died since Israel intensified its attacks.
Hezbollah began low-level strikes against Israeli forces shortly after Israel launched its Gaza assault in October last year in retaliation for an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.
For nearly a year, Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged fire almost daily along the Israel-Lebanon border, forcing tens of thousands of residents on both sides to flee their homes. This month, Israel escalated the conflict, stoking fears of further violence across the region.
