A “limited” operation against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon has begun, in response to the Israeli military

The Israeli military said it had begun a “limited, local” operation against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.

It said it was carrying out “targeted ground strikes” in villages near the Israeli border. The targets posed an “immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel,” it said.

It said early Tuesday that the operation had been planned over the past few months and was launched after approval from the political leadership.

The Israeli military launched small ground attacks against Hezbollah and sealed off communities along the northern border on Monday as Israeli artillery pounded southern Lebanon and signals grew for more troops could soon be sent across the border to combat Iranian-backed militants.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Israel had informed the U.S. of the raids, which he said were described as “limited operations focused on Hezbollah infrastructure near the border.”

Airstrikes were heard across Beirut and smoke rose from the southern suburbs of the capital, a Hezbollah stronghold, shortly after Israel ordered residents of three buildings to evacuate.

There were no reports of direct clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters, who were most recently engaged in ground fighting on Lebanese soil for a month War in 2006.

But a Western diplomat in Cairo whose country is directly involved De-escalation efforts said an Israeli ground operation in Lebanon was “imminent.” The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity attributable to the sensitivity of the situation, said Israel had communicated its plans to the United States and other Western allies and said the operation can be “limited.”

Since then, there have been exchanges of fireplace between Israel and Hezbollah almost every day the war in Gaza began and displaced tens of hundreds of individuals in Israel and Lebanon. Israel says it’ll proceed to attack Hezbollah until families can safely return to their homes near the Lebanese border. Hezbollah has vowed to proceed firing rockets at Israel until a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.