Israel’s military forces crossed the border into southern Lebanon on Monday to conduct what its military described as “limited, localized, and targeted ground raids” against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

The ground invasion represents an escalating conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Iran-backed militants.

The Israeli military has launched what it calls a "limited, localized" operation in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah on Tuesday. The Israeli Defense Forces are carrying out "targeted ground raids" in villages close to the Israeli border, targets which is said pose an "immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel."