Israel starts ground operations in southwest Lebanon as Iran delivers warning

Israel’s military said on Tuesday it had begun ground operations in southwest Lebanon, expanding its incursions to a new zone a year after exchanges of fire began with armed group Hezbollah and amid pleas by the UN for a diplomatic solution.

The regional tensions triggered a year ago by Palestinian armed group Hamas’ attack on southern Israel have spiralled to a string of Israeli operations by land and air over Lebanon and direct attacks by Iran onto Israeli military installations.

Iran warned Israel on Tuesday against any attacks on the Islamic Republic, a week after Tehran fired a barrage of missiles on it, putting the Middle East on edge.

Any attack on Iran’s infrastructure will be met with retaliation, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said, warning Israel against attacks on his country.

Araqchi will visit Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East starting on Tuesday to discuss regional issues and work on stopping Israel’s “crimes” in Gaza and Lebanon, Iran’s ISNA news agency reported. Gulf states have sought to reassure Iran of their neutrality in the Iran-Israel conflict, sources told Reuters last week.