WarSclerotic

The Lebanese army has begun mobilizing troops to the ‎country’s border with Israel, Arabic-language media reported ‎Tuesday, saying the decision was made in wake of an ‎Israeli military operation on its side of the ‎border. ‎

The IDF announced Tuesday that it had launched an ‎‎operation to expose and neutralize cross-border ‎‎terror tunnels dug by Hezbollah under the Israel-‎‎Lebanon border. The military did not disclose how ‎‎many tunnels snake ‎‎into Israeli territory from ‎‎Lebanon nor how long the ‎‎operation, code-named ‎‎”Northern Shield,” would last.‎

The Israeli military issued a statement on its ‎Arabic-language social media channels, warning ‎Lebanese soldiers and Hezbollah operatives against ‎approaching the security fence or the tunnel grid. ‎

Reuters

A statement by the Lebanese army said that the troops sent to ‎the frontier were tasked with monitoring Israeli ‎activity and ensuring it does not compromise ‎Lebanese sovereignty.‎

Some media reports said that Hezbollah leader Hassan ‎Nasrallah would give a special televised address on ‎Tuesday evening, but the Shiite terrorist group has ‎made no official announcement to that effect. ‎

Nasrallah warned Monday that ‎any Israeli attack on ‎Lebanese soil would meet ‎‎”inevitable retaliation” by ‎his organization.‎

Still, Israeli and Lebanese experts similarly surmised ‎Tuesday that Hezbollah would likely opt to contain ‎Israeli activities on the border, as long as they did ‎not infringe on Lebanese sovereignty, to avoid a ‎rapid security escalation. ‎

Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in ‎Lebanon Maj. Gen. Stefano Del Col told the ‎Hezbollah-affiliated Al Mayadeen TV network that he was ‎‎”getting updates on the operation from the Israelis,” adding that “like the Lebanese army, we are monitoring this ‎activity.” ‎

In comments made several months ago, Lebanese Armed ‎Forces Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun‎ said his ‎troops “will use every available means to confront ‎any potential Israeli aggression, no matter the ‎cost.”‎