Six days of Israeli ground invasion in South Lebanon: Key developments on the ground

Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

The Israeli ground invasion into South Lebanon has now entered its sixth day, with the focus of operations and combat primarily concentrated along two main axes.

First, on the eastern front, the Lebanese border towns of Kfarkela and Odaisseh, located opposite the Israeli settlements of Metula and Misgav Am, have become significant flashpoints. 

Israeli forces have been attempting to penetrate this area, with recent efforts concentrated around the Odaisseh municipality, where Hezbollah reported repelling two Israeli attempts on Saturday morning. 

On the first day of the invasion, the Israeli army acknowledged losing nine soldiers and sustaining dozens of injuries. Images released by the Israeli military, claiming to show the interior of homes in Kfarkela, were refuted by a Hezbollah field commander, who stated that the photos were taken just meters from the border, costing the Israeli forces several casualties.

Meanwhile, the town of Khiam has been subjected to heavy airstrikes and shelling.

The second axis of the Israeli ground offensive is focused on the central sector, specifically around the towns of Yaroun and Maroun El-Ras.

Hezbollah announced it had successfully repelled Israeli forces in the outskirts of these towns, using explosive devices, targeted missile strikes, and engaging in close-range firefights. The town of Bint Jbeil, located behind Yaroun and Maroun El-Ras, is also enduring heavy Israeli bombardment and continuous attacks.

While the Israeli military claims its operations are aimed at dismantling Hezbollah's infrastructure, the group has been striking back with targeted operations behind Israeli lines. 

Hezbollah forces have been targeting concentrations of Israeli soldiers and using guided missiles to hit tanks and military positions, benefiting from the deployment of Israeli troops and reinforcements to settlements along the border.

The Israeli ground advance remains limited in scope for now, but attention is turning to how far the invasion will expand and whether Hezbollah will be able to exploit the Israeli military's extended presence inside Lebanon to inflict further damage.