One week into Israel's ground invasion in Lebanon: Hezbollah's ambushes slow Israel's ground operation

Report by Wissam Nasrallah, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

As Israel's ground invasion of Lebanon enters its second week, the reality on the ground paints a complex picture of intense resistance and limited gains for Israeli forces. 

Dubbed a "limited ground operation" by Israeli officials, the military campaign has faced significant obstacles, particularly in the eastern sector.

The first push by Israeli ground forces came from the eastern front, targeting the Odaisseh axis. 

However, their advance quickly ran into a Hezbollah ambush. Subsequent attempts to penetrate through Kfarkela and Tell en Nhas also failed to secure any footholds for the Israeli forces. 
 
In the villages of Meiss El Jabal and Blida, intense Israeli artillery and airstrikes paved the way for an attempted ground incursion. Hezbollah retaliated by launching a barrage of rockets and artillery shells at Israeli troops on the Qalaa Heights in Blida, inflicting heavy losses on the Israeli forces.

Meanwhile, in the central sector, Israeli forces have been trying to break through the defensive lines of Maroun El-Ras and Yaroun, key positions before reaching the town of Bint Jbeil. Hezbollah claims it thwarted these advances with roadside bombs and heavy resistance, causing significant damage to the Israeli attackers.

On the Lebanese coast, the Israeli military issued a warning to civilians, urging them to stay away from the sea and refrain from using boats for fishing or other purposes. This warning covered the coastal area from the Awali River to the southern Lebanese border. 

In the western sector, Israel's 146th Brigade, its first reserve force deployed in southern Lebanon, began its ground operations near Dhayra and the outskirts of Aalma El Chaeb. Israel has managed to cross the border in multiple locations, as it published some footage of Israeli soldiers.

Nonetheless, Hezbollah has continued to engage the advancing Israeli forces, with Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem commenting, "We are not counting meters; we are waiting for the enemy forces to engage with them," suggesting that Hezbollah is employing a strategy of delayed confrontation.

This strategy echoes Hezbollah's tactics during the July 2006 war, when the group lured Israeli forces into advanced positions in Aita al-Shaab before launching a decisive counterattack. It is notable that, so far, Aita al-Shaab has not been included in the scope of Israel's current ground operations.

As Israel escalates its ground offensive, its efforts remain limited in scope, with Hezbollah dictating the pace and extent of these operations.