The international community is bracing for Israel's imminent invasion into southern Lebanon, as troops from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are expected to step foot into the country on Tuesday morning.
A senior U.S. official confirmed the invasion plans to Fox News on Monday. It is believed that the ground campaign will be smaller in scale than the 2006 operation Israel conducted in its war with Hezbollah, and is also expected to last a shorter period of time.
The ministers of Israel's political security cabinet approved the next phase of the operation in Lebanon, according to the Jerusalem Post, but it is unclear when the incursion will begin. Israel launched strikes into Lebanon on Monday night into Tuesday morning, but the ground invasion had not begun as of 1:30 a.m. local time.
Following the confirmation of an imminent Israeli invasion on Monday afternoon, the Pentagon told reporters that it is sending a "few thousand" more troops to the Middle East to augment U.S. forces already there on heightened alert – just one day after President Biden said he would not deploy more troops to the region.
PENTAGON SENDS MORE TROOPS TO THE MIDDLE EAST AMID CONFLICT
Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters the increased presence will come from new troop deployments as well as by extending the deployment of fighter jet squadrons previously set to be replaced.
The fighter jet squadrons of F-15 Strike Eagles, F-16, A-10 and F-22 fighter jets will now remain in the Middle East, though the Pentagon did not detail for how long.
Singh said the increased force presence is not in support of a potential evacuation.
"They are there for the protection of U.S. forces, and they are there, should they be needed, for the defense of Israel," she added.
Israel’s top commander on Monday once again hinted that Jerusalem was readying its troops for a campaign in southern Lebanon.
"In order to ensure the return of Israel’s northern communities, we will employ all of our capabilities, and this includes you," Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told soldiers in the Israel Defense Force positioned on the border with Lebanon.
Gallant told the troops that the Friday killing of Hezbollah’s top leader Hassan Nasrallah, who led the terrorist organization for more than 30 years, was "an important step, but it is not the final one."
"We trust you to accomplish every mission at hand," Gallant added.
The world first braced for an Israeli invasion into Lebanon last week when Israeli security officials moved reservist forces to the north and advised troops there to be "prepared."
Though no official order for a ground invasion has been given by Jerusalem, Israel has over the last week carried out a significant aerial campaign against Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon, as well as targeted strikes in Beirut.
Biden on Monday responded to questions by reporters regarding the "limited" invasion and said, "I'm more aware than you might know."
When asked if he was comfortable with the operational plans, he said, "I'm comfortable with them stopping. We should have a ceasefire now."
Special forces have also allegedly been carrying out small raids in southern Lebanon over the "past months" using tunnels constructed by Hezbollah but seized by Israel during Operation Northern Shield, which began in 2018.
The tunnels, which were made with the backing of Iran and assistance from North Korea, connect southern Lebanon to northern Israel.
BIDEN SAYS HE WILL TALK TO NETANYAHU AS ISRAEL PUMMELS SUNNI TERROR TARGETS IN BEIRUT
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal on Monday, unnamed sources said these "targeted" raids have been carried out in order to collect intelligence on Hezbollah as well as to damage the group’s ability to attack Israel.
Israeli officials have said the intended goal of these increased attacks against the terrorist group, is to ensure the safe return of some 60,000 residents who have fled the northern border out of concern that an Oct. 7-style attack could be repeated.
As fighting in the area has increased and the ambiguity surrounding what Hezbollah and Iran’s response could be to the killing of Nasrallah, it remains unclear when Jerusalem believes these residents will be able to actually return to their homes.
"Our goal is to ensure the [safe] return of Israel’s northern communities to their homes," Gallant told Israeli troops on Monday, according to a statement provided to Fox News Digital by the Israeli Ministry of Defense. "We are prepared to make every effort necessary to accomplish this mission.
"We will use all the means that may be required – your forces, other forces, from the air, from the sea, and on land," he added. "Good luck."
