Israel begins ground incursion in southern Lebanon

By Lex Harvey and Irene Nasser, Oct 1: Israel’s military says it has begun “a limited ground operation” in southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah. There will be “no long-term occupation” of Lebanon, Israeli officials said but declined to provide a timeline.

Hezbollah said it launched strikes at soldiers in northern Israel following the incursion. The Iran-backed group has said it will choose a new leader as soon as possible following Israel’s assassination of Hassan Nasrallah and has vowed to continue fighting Israel in support of Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel’s incursion came after hours of Israeli raids and artillery fire across the border, and after Israel restricted civilian movements in some border communities. Ahead of the operation, Israel’s security cabinet approved the “next phase” of its war with Hezbollah, according to a national broadcaster.

Israel’s blistering escalation defies pressure from the US, a key ally, to reach a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah. The escalation in the war has killed more than 1,000 people, destroyed homes and displaced 1 million in Lebanon, authorities say.

Meanwhile, Hamas militants were the target of a deadly Israeli attack on a school in northern Gaza overnight, Israel’s military said.

At least seven people were killed and a number of others wounded in the strike on the Al-Shujaiya School in the east of Gaza City, which was sheltering displaced civilians, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense in the enclave.

The Israeli military said Tuesday that a Hamas command and control centre “was embedded inside a compound that previously served as the ‘Shejaiya’ UNRWA School.”

“Prior to the strike, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians,” it said.

CNN cannot independently verify the Israeli military’s claim about Hamas operating in the school.