Israel launches Lebanon ground invasion as Hezbollah missiles target Tel Aviv – live

The head of Hezbollah’s media office, Mohammad Afif, has claimed that no Israeli troops have entered Lebanese territory.

He added that the militant group’s strikes on targets in Tel Aviv were “only the beginning”.

In a written statement provided to Reuters, Afif, said there had been no “direct ground clashes” yet with Israeli troops.

The raids by Israeli troops in southern Lebanon that began overnight were limited and went only a short distance over the border, a security official said on Tuesday, adding that no direct clashes with Hezbollah fighters were reported.

The official said a wider operation targeting the Lebanese capital Beirut, which has been hit by repeated airstrikes in recent days, was “not on the table”.

Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant has briefed US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Israel‘s raids into Lebanon, Gallant’s office said.

“The Minister discussed the localized and targeted raids that the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) launched overnight, against Hezbollah terror targets in the border area of southern Lebanon,” it said.

“These ground operations build on the recent and ongoing measures taken to eliminate senior Hezbollah leadership and to degrade Hezbollah’s offensive capabilities.”

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 21 people in Gaza on Tuesday, local medics said and fighting ramped up, as the Israeli military said it had been targeting command centres used by its Islamist militant foe Hamas.

Palestinian health officials said at least 13 people, including women and children, were killed in two Israeli strikes on two houses in Nuseirat, one of the enclave’s eight historic refugee camps.

There has been no immediate comment by the Israeli army on the two strikes.

Another strike on a school sheltering displaced Palestinian families in the Tuffah neighbourhood of Gaza City killed at least seven people, medics added.

The Israeli military said in a statement the air strike targeted Hamas militants operating from a command centre embedded in a compound that had previously served as Al-Shejaia School.

It accused Hamas of using the civilian population and facilities for military purposes, which Hamas denies.

Hezbollah says it has used missiles to target the headquarters of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, according to Reuters news agency.

The missiles also targeted the Glilot military base, where the army intelligence unit is stationed in the suburbs of Tel Aviv. It is unclear whether the strikes have caused any damage.

The Lebanese militant group says it used its new missile – Fadi 4 – in the attack.

According to Al-Jazeera, the missiles are named after Fadi Hassan Tawil, a militant killed in action in 1987 and the brother of Hezbollah commander Wissam al-Tawil.

Speaking at the UN summit hours after Israeli troops began its incursion into southern Lebanon, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Makati said this is “one of the most dangerous phases” in the country’s history.

“We urgently call for more aid to reinforce our ongoing efforts to provide basic support to displaced civilians,” he says.

Around one million people have been displaced in the last month since Israel opened a bombing campaign in southern Lebanon.

Sirens sounded in central Israel following the launch of projectiles which then crossed the border from Lebanon, the Israeli military has announced.

An explosion was heard in Tel Aviv and air raid sirens went off, a witness told Reuters.

An Israeli lieutenant commanding a unit who has recently crossed the border into Lebanon has reportedly told troops that they are about to “write history”.

The Egoz unit commander, Lieutenant Colonel “A”, in a pep talk to his soldiers prior to their invasion, reportedly said: “We have a great honour to write history in the North just like we did in Gaza.

“We started with lower-grade operations, but today, we are starting a more substantial invasion in order to return the northern residents to their homes.

“This is a substantial matter because we have not invaded Lebanon since 2006.”

Cyprus, one of the Mediterranean’s most popular islands is close to Lebanon, and a number of travellers with trips booked to Cyprus are looking at the map of the eastern Mediterranean with concern – and have contacted The Independent travel desk.

The popular Cypriot resort of Ayia Napa is barely 100 miles from the Lebanese capital, Beirut. Yet the Foreign Office does not have concerns about Cyprus. The official travel advice for the island has not been amended since June 2024, when it was “reviewed for style and accuracy”.

Under the heading “Regional risks” the only concern is the long-standing warning about travel to the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus: “FCDO can only provide limited consular support if you are visiting areas in the north that are not under control of the Republic of Cyprus.”

In their travel advice to citizens on Cyprus, the US State Department and the Australia government express no alarms about the unfolding catastrophe in Lebanon.

“Overspill” from Lebanon to Cyprus looks extremely unlikely. Consider Syria, which has been in a civil war since 2011; even though the Mediterranean port of Latakia is only 70 miles from Cyprus, there has been no danger posed to the island as a result of that tragic conflict.

As the Foreign Office does not warn against travel to Cyprus, there is no prospect of being able to cancel a trip for a full refund. Neither will travel insurance be of help; the insurer will say that there is no reason not to go.

It is legally possible to transfer a proper package holiday to someone else – though time is short to do this before Saturday. Alternatively, the holiday company may possibly offer the chance to switch to a different destination; this is relatively low season, and there may be capacity elsewhere.

Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, and United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon Imran Riza have launched a $426 million (£320 million) appeal to help civilians affected by the escalating conflict, the UN has announced.