Nothing is ruled out.
This is what army spokesperson Effie Defrin said at a press conference when asked whether an Israeli ground offensive in Lebanon could be considered.
"We are operating in Lebanon to eliminate a significant threat," he said.
Later on Monday evening, the Israeli military urged residents of several villages in southern Lebanon to leave their homes and flee north in anticipation of upcoming attacks.
So far, 52 people have been killed and 154 injured in Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities.
Smoke rose from the Dahiyeh district in southern Beirut earlier on Monday and mass evacuations were carried out in several areas, with civilians fleeing the bombardment, clutching bags and sacks.
“Immediate ban”
Israel states that it has killed Hezbollah's intelligence chief Hussein Makled, and attacked a Lebanese financial institution that it claims finances the Shiite militia's activities.
Israel says the attacks are in response to rocket and drone attacks. Hezbollah, in turn, says it fired rockets at Israeli villages in retaliation for Israel and the US's extensive attacks on Iran and the killing of the country's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemns Hezbollah's attacks and has declared an "immediate ban" on Hezbollah carrying out any armed actions.
He has called Hezbollah's attacks on X "an irresponsible act that endangers Lebanon's safety and security and gives Israel pretexts to continue its attacks on the country," and demands that the Shiite militia surrender all its weapons.
Long period of tension
UN Secretary-General António Guterres is calling for restraint in a situation where Israel and the US's war against Iran is triggering unrest across the region.
"We urge maximum restraint and urge the parties to uphold the ceasefire agreement," Guterres' spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said in a statement.
The situation between Israel and Hezbollah has been tense for some time. Formally, there is a ceasefire in place, which states that the Lebanese military will work to disarm Hezbollah. However, Israeli forces remain in several places in southern Lebanon and both sides are regularly accused of violating the ceasefire – Israel has continued its attacks on an almost daily basis since the ceasefire formally came into effect.
