The Financial Times newspaper reported growing concern in Lebanon about the possibility of expanding the scope of Israeli military operations to include a comprehensive ground invasion, in light of the increase in field movements on the southern border.
The report stated that residents of the border villages are living in a state of increasing fear with the continued Israeli evacuation orders, which has led to a large displacement of hundreds of thousands of Lebanese in recent weeks. A resident of the town of Kfar Shuba was quoted as saying that he was forced to leave his home after Israeli raids, despite his previous insistence on staying for fear of not being able to return.
The report explained that these fears are not limited to the repercussions of the recent war, but rather they also evoke memories of the 1982 invasion, as many fear a repeat of the scenario of an Israeli military incursion deep into Lebanese territory.
On the field side, the newspaper indicated that the Israeli army has intensified its deployment along the Blue Line, and has established more than ten military sites, amid talk of options that include advancing to the Litani River, which reinforces the hypothesis of preparation for a broader operation.
The report also pointed out that the recent confrontations came after Hezbollah launched missiles towards Israel, which required a broad military response and turned southern Lebanon once again into a burning battlefield.
The Financial Times discussed the grave humanitarian consequences, with nearly a million people displaced within a short period, at a time when Lebanon is suffering from a severe economic crisis that limits its ability to respond. It quoted the Minister of Social Affairs, Haneen Al-Sayed, as saying that the government is facing great difficulties in meeting the needs of the displaced.
The report also warned of increasing social tensions within Lebanon, in light of the pressures on host communities, as cases of rejection or tension towards the displaced were recorded, amid assumptions of their connection to Hezbollah.
On the other hand, the newspaper quoted Israeli sources as saying that the current operations are classified as “limited and directed,” but they may constitute a prelude to broader steps, especially as the fighting continues and there is no clear horizon for its end.
