When soldiers from Israel’s 98th division entered Lebanon in their first invasion of the country for nearly two decades, Israeli officials characterised the operation as “limited, localised and targeted”.
But over the past week, the scale of Israel’s ground assault on Hizbollah has quickly grown. The 98th division has been joined by three others, with thousands of Israeli soldiers advancing into Lebanon from locations ranging from Rosh HaNikra in the west to Misgav Am in the east.
At the same time, Israeli leaders have hardened their rhetoric about what lies ahead. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday called on the Lebanese to rise up against Hizbollah, warning the alternative was “a long war that will lead to destruction and suffering like we see in Gaza”.