JERUSALEM (Reuters) – The Israeli army said on Wednesday that regular infantry and armored units would join ground operations in southern Lebanon, but added that their scope would remain limited and local.
Israel said on Tuesday that commando units and paratroopers crossed a short distance across the border in the first announced ground operation in Lebanon.
She then said that Special Forces units carried out ground raids against Hezbollah targets across the border for several months, during which they uncovered tunnels and weapons caches under homes.
The addition of infantry and armored forces from the 36th Division, including the Golani Brigade, the 188th Armored Brigade, and the 6th Infantry Brigade, indicates that the operation has gone beyond limited commando raids.
The army said the ground operation was largely aimed at destroying tunnels and other infrastructure on the border, and there were no plans for a broader operation targeting Beirut or major cities in southern Lebanon.