Israeli Troops Push Into Lebanon in Major Escalation of Iran Conflict

Israeli ground forces, backed by tanks and armored vehicles, have begun pushing into southern Lebanon in a major escalation of the Iran conflict, opening a second front against Hezbollah that echoes Israel's devastating 2006 war with the Iranian proxy. The ground offensive transforms what began as air strikes against Iran into a multi-front regional war, with Israel apparently determined to dismantle Hezbollah's military infrastructure along its northern border while Tehran is too weakened to resupply its most powerful proxy force. The expansion raises the stakes dramatically for both the American military commitment in the region and for Lebanese civilians caught between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters embedded in population centers across the south.