Early Wednesday morning, two IDF soldiers were tragically killed during Israel’s ground operation in Lebanon. Cpt. Eitan Itzhak Oster, 22, a team commander from Modi’in and a member of the elite Egoz Commando Unit, was one of the fallen soldiers. His death was confirmed by the IDF. The second fatality was announced by Kiryat Ata Mayor Yaakov Peretz, who confirmed the death of IDF soldier Nezer Itkin, also from the Egoz unit, who was killed during the fighting in southern Lebanon. These are the first two confirmed fatalities in Israel’s ongoing ground offensive against Hezbollah. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The IDF says that troops have launched a full-scale ground operation in southern Lebanon, deploying the 36th Division, which includes soldiers from the Golani Brigade, 188th Armored Brigade, 6th Infantry Brigade, and other forces. These units are now actively participating in localized, precise raids on Hezbollah targets, a campaign that began on Monday. Backed by the Israeli Air Force and the 282nd Artillery Brigade, IDF soldiers have been engaging Hezbollah terrorists in close-quarters combat while systematically dismantling the terror group’s attack infrastructure. The 98th Division is also continuing its targeted operations across several regions in southern Lebanon.

The IDF reports that more than 100 rockets have been launched from Lebanon into northern Israel since the morning. In the most recent attack, around 10 rockets were aimed at the Western Galilee and Haifa Bay regions. While several buildings sustained damage in the earlier strikes, no injuries have been reported, largely due to the evacuation of many towns in the affected areas. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Iran made a “big mistake tonight,” says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the opening of the security cabinet meeting in Jerusalem shortly after an Iranian missile attack, “and it will pay for it.” The strike on Israel earlier in the evening “failed,” he says. “It was thwarted thanks to Israel’s air defense system, which is the most advanced in the world,” says the prime minister, thanking the US for its support as well. “The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our determination to retaliate against our enemies,” says Netanyahu.

The IDF says ballistic missiles have been launched from Iran at Israel. It takes approximately 10-12 minutes for them to fly from Iran to Israel – unless they are intercepted or fail before then. Initial reports say that at least 102 ballistic missiles were launched in this first wave, and that there may be more missiles coming. The entire Israeli population has been ordered into bomb shelters. There are unconfirmed reports of at least one building being struck in northern Tel Aviv. No confirmation yet. DEVELOPING (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The White House said Tuesday morning that the United States has received indications that Iran is preparing to launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel in the near future. “The United States has indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel. We are actively supporting defensive preparations to defend Israel against this attack. A direct military attack from Iran against Israel will carry severe consequences for Iran,” an unnamed senior White House official said in a statement.

Sirens blared in central Israel on Tuesday morning in dozens of cities, including Tel Aviv, Ramat HaSharon, Kfar Saba, Herzliya, and Ra’anana. Residents heard the sounds of loud booms as several rockets fell. Other rockets were intercepted. One of the rockets hit a highway near the Choreshim Interchange, injuring at least one person from shrapnel. This is a developing story. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

U.S. officials have confirmed that the IDF has entered southern Lebanon and initiated limited ground operations targeting Hezbollah positions near the border. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Israel informed the U.S. about the raids, which he said were described as “limited operations focused on Hezbollah infrastructure near the border.” This is the first IDF ground operation in Lebanon since the Second Lebanon War in 2006.  

In the first public statement by a Hezbollah official since the killing of the group’s leader, Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Sheikh Naim Qassem, declared that the terrorist organization is fully prepared for any potential ground operation by Israeli forces. “We will face any possibility, and we are ready if the Israelis decide to enter by land. The resistance forces are ready for a ground engagement,” Qassem said, visibly sweating during a speech from an undisclosed location in Beirut. Qassem’s remarks follow the death of Hezbollah’s chief, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut last Friday. Despite the heavy loss of its top leader and ongoing Israeli attacks, Qassem said that Hezbollah remains committed to its cause.

Journalists at Iran’s Press TV broke down in tears as they reported the death of Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Marzieh Hashemi, a prominent Iranian-American anchor for the state-run television network, was one of them. During a live broadcast, Press TV’s Beirut correspondent, Mariam Saleh, broke down in tears when told Nasrallah was dead. She said she didn’t know how she would cope with his death. “I wish I could sacrifice my children and have Nasrallah back,” she said tearfully. She went on to vow that despite the loss, the fight would continue until victory was achieved. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)