Israeli airstrikes reported in Lebanon; ground incursion could be imminent, officials say

Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Israel's limited ground incursion into Lebanon could begin "imminently," according to the U.S. State Department, as Lebanese media reported airstrikes on Hezbollah sites in Beirut's southern suburb, known as Dahiyeh.

Security sources in Lebanon said Israeli tanks have not entered Lebanon, but they did report powerful airstrikes near the Litani River. An apartment building in central Beirut also was hit Monday, the first apparent Israeli strike on the capital outside of Hezbollah's stronghold in the southern suburbs. Three leaders of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine group were killed by an Israeli airstrike in the Kola area of Beirut.

According to a U.S. official, a Biden administration official and a source familiar with the planning, Israel's limited ground operation into Lebanon could also begin as early as Monday, NBC News reported .

"This is what they have informed us that they are currently conducting, which are limited operations targeting Hezbollah infrastructure near the border," U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters Monday.

Lebanese media also reported heavy Israeli artillery shelling at the border village of Wazzani, close to Ghajar.

Israel Defense Forces have been calling on Lebanese civilians in Beirut to evacuate immediately , to clear the area as they prepared to push Hezbollah forces away from the Israeli border. Specifically, the IDF is calling on Lebanese civilians to clear the area near several buildings in the Hezbollah stronghold, known as Dahiyeh.

"You are in the vicinity of Hezbollah facilities and the IDF will act forcefully against them. For your safety and the safety of your family members, you must evacuate these buildings immediately and stay at least 500 meters away from them," Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF's Arabic-language spokesman, warned Monday in a post on X.

#عاجل ‼️ انذار عاجل إلى سكان الضاحية الجنوبية في بيروت

إلى جميع المتواجدين في المباني المحددة في الخرائط المحددة والمباني المجاورة لها في الأحياء التالية: ⭕️الليلكي

أنتم متواجدون بالقرب من مصالح ومنشآت تابعة لحزب الله الإرهابي ولذلك سوف يعمل جيش... pic.twitter.com/N60UKlRxmV — افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) September 30, 2024

In remarks before boarding Air Force One in Delaware on Monday, President Joe Biden told reporters he would not deploy more U.S. troops to the Middle East, and plans to talk with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu .

"Yes. I will be talking to him, and I'll tell you what I say to him when I talk to him," Biden said.

At the White House, Biden called for a cease-fire "right now" when asked about Israel's plan to invade Lebanon in its fight against Hezbollah.

"I'm more aware than you might know and I'm comfortable with them stopping," the president told reporters . "We should have a cease-fire right now."

"Israel has a right to defend itself against Hezbollah and Iran-backed groups," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Monday. "We're in constant discussion with the Israelis on the best way to move forward," adding, "Of course, we want to see a cease-fire."

"We recognize that, at times, military pressure can enable diplomacy. That's true. It is also true that military pressure can lead to miscalculation," Miller, at the State Department, added. "It can lead to unintended consequences."

On Monday, Netanyahu posted a statement to the "people of Iran" that they "deserve better." The statement comes two days after Israel killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in southern Beirut.

"There is nowhere in the Middle East Israel cannot reach. There is nowhere we will not go to protect our people and protect our country," Netanyahu said.

"Don't let a small group of fanatic theocrats crush your hopes and your dreams," he added. "You deserve better."

The people of Iran should know - Israel stands with you pic.twitter.com/MfwfNqnTgE — Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) September 30, 2024

More than 100,000 Lebanese nationals and Syrians living in Lebanon are fleeing the Israeli airstrikes and have crossed into Syria, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Fillipo Grandi," who said Monday that "the outflow continues."

The number of people who have crossed into Syria from Lebanon fleeing Israeli airstrikes - Lebanese and Syrian nationals - has reached 100,000. The outflow continues.

UNHCR is present at four crossing points alongside local authorities and @SYRedCrescent to support new arrivals. pic.twitter.com/7dtrghsMH4 — Filippo Grandi (@FilippoGrandi) September 30, 2024

France's Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot also spoke to reporters Monday at the Pine Residence, the official residence of the French ambassador to Lebanon, in Beirut's Horsh district, where he urged Israel not to send ground troops into Lebanon and called on Israel and Hezbollah to immediately agree to a cease-fire.

"I urge Israel to refrain from any ground incursion and to cease fire," Barrot said. "I call on Hezbollah to do the same and to refrain from any action likely to lead to regional destabilization."