Update(1312ET): For the second time since Friday, Israel has launched a major strike on the southern Beirut neighborhood of Dahiyam, in what the IDF says was a targeted strike on senior Hezbollah leader Ali Karaki. In last Friday's strike several Hezbollah commanders were taken out, in an attack which also left many civilian casualties. Karaki's fate is unclear at this point. He's widely reported to be Hezbollah's head of its southern front operations.
This has been the heaviest day of fighting in nearly a year since Oct.7, with the IDF saying by Monday evening it has struck about 800 targets in Lebanon today alone.
"The IDF is striking to remove threats to Israeli civilians and degrade Hezbollah's terrorist infrastructure and capabilities," a statement said. Israel has also just declared an emergency "special situation" for the entire country as this looks to be the start of all-out war against Hezbollah in Lebanon. The total Lebanese death toll is fast approaching 300.
The Pentagon has at the same time said it is deploying additional US troops to the region amid the escalation, but it's unclear where precisely the will be, or what the mission is. In total some 40,000 US troops are stationed in the broader region.
Not only are tens of thousands of panicked Lebanese fleeing the south, but Israelis in and near Haifa are also seeking shelter as Hezbollah rockets reach in and around the port city. Israel's Iron Dome has been intercepting inbound barrages all day, but some are clearly making it through.
Israel has declared an emergency "special situation":
The cabinet approves a “special situation” on Israel’s home front, according to multiple media reports.
A “special situation” is a legal term used in times of emergency, granting authorities greater jurisdiction over the civilian population in order to streamline efforts to safeguard the population. It is valid for 48 hours unless extended by cabinet ministers.
No specific changes in IDF Home Front Command instructions were announced.
...that sure sounds a lot like martial law.
Subsequent to Israel's invasion in 1982 US ground forces entered Lebanon in the role of "peacekeepers" with fatal consequences in 1983. Don't tell me US troops will patrol the Beirut boulevards again with the same result.
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