Israel Launches Ground Operations in Southern Lebanon as IDF Surpasses 7,600 Strikes on Iran

Israel launched what it described as "limited, targeted" ground operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon on Monday, marking a significant escalation in its military campaign on the Lebanese front. The Israeli army said the operations aimed to expand forward defence zones and target key Hezbollah positions in border areas.

Since the conflict began on February 28, the IDF has carried out more than 7,600 strikes across Iran in nearly 5,000 aerial sorties, according to Israeli military sources. The strikes have targeted missile launch sites, IRGC headquarters, and infrastructure linked to Iran's nuclear programme. Israeli officials said that in recent days, more than 100 targets connected to the regime's weapons production systems were hit.

Thick black smoke was visible over Tehran early Monday as a new wave of Israeli strikes targeted infrastructure in the capital. Iranian state media reported large explosions. The Israeli military said it had also struck what it assessed were sites where the Iranian regime was concealing components related to its nuclear programme.

On the Lebanese front, Hezbollah fired rockets and drones at northern Israel on Monday, injuring four people according to Israel's emergency services. Since Hezbollah joined the war on March 2, the group has maintained a sustained pace of dozens of attack waves per day. ACLED analysts note that pressure rather than military strength has driven Hezbollah's continued operations, following years of Israeli strikes that severely degraded the group's capabilities.

According to a Reuters report, Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold preliminary talks in the coming days. However, a senior Iranian security official told Al-Mayadeen that there is currently no scenario for a ceasefire, and that Iran's allies in the Axis of Resistance would be part of any future agreement.