Israel Escalates Ground Operations in Southern Lebanon Against Hezbollah: Civilians Trapped in Crossfire as War Spills Over Borders
By: Juba Global News Network | JubaGlobal.com
March 5, 2026 – Updated 07:15 AM EST – Leesburg, Virginia
As the US-Israel war against Iran enters its sixth day, the conflict has dramatically spilled over into southern Lebanon, where Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have significantly escalated ground operations against Hezbollah positions. What began as limited cross-border raids and artillery exchanges has evolved into a large-scale incursion involving thousands of troops, armored vehicles, and heavy engineering support, raising fears of a full-scale reoccupation reminiscent of the 2006 Lebanon War or the prolonged 1982–2000 occupation.
According to IDF statements released early on March 5, Israeli forces have seized key positions along the Litani River and in the border villages of Maroun al-Ras, Aitaroun, Blida, and Kfarkela. The operation, described by military spokespersons as a “defensive deepening maneuver to neutralize immediate threats,” includes the establishment of forward operating bases, the destruction of Hezbollah tunnel networks, and the targeting of rocket-launching sites and command posts embedded in civilian areas.
The escalation follows days of intensified Israeli airstrikes and artillery barrages that have already displaced tens of thousands of Lebanese civilians from border districts. On March 4–5 alone, the IDF ordered mass evacuation warnings for more than 20 villages and towns south of the Litani River, declaring the entire area a “combat zone.” Leaflets dropped from drones and loudspeaker announcements in Arabic warned residents to move north immediately, with some warnings giving as little as two hours before strikes commenced.
Hezbollah has responded with fierce resistance. The group’s Al-Manar television channel broadcast footage of fighters using Kornet anti-tank guided missiles, mortars, and small-arms fire against advancing Israeli armor. Hezbollah claimed to have destroyed or damaged at least seven Merkava tanks and several armored personnel carriers in the first 48 hours of the intensified ground push. The Lebanese group also continued launching barrages of Katyusha rockets, Fajr-5 rockets, and precision-guided munitions toward northern Israeli communities, including Kiryat Shmona, Metula, and Safed, though Iron Dome interception rates remained high.
The human cost on the Lebanese side is mounting rapidly. The Lebanese Health Ministry reported at least 142 civilians killed and over 680 injured in southern Lebanon since the broader conflict intensified on February 28, with the majority of casualties occurring after March 2 when ground operations began to expand. Rescue workers from the Lebanese Civil Defense and Red Cross have described scenes of devastation in border villages: collapsed homes, burning vehicles, and families fleeing on foot with whatever possessions they could carry. Power and communications have been severely disrupted across much of south Lebanon, hampering humanitarian access.
Civilians remain trapped in the crossfire. Humanitarian organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), have reported that thousands of people—particularly the elderly, disabled individuals, and families with young children—are unable or unwilling to evacuate due to lack of transportation, fear of movement during active combat, or refusal to abandon homes and livestock. Several documented cases involve families sheltering in basements while fighting rages overhead.
UNIFIL, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, has issued repeated calls for restraint, warning that the escalation “threatens to plunge the region into a wider and more devastating conflict.” The peacekeeping force reported that several of its positions came under indirect fire, though no peacekeepers were injured in the latest incidents. UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the situation as “extremely alarming,” reiterating that “civilians must be protected under all circumstances” and urging both sides to allow safe passage for humanitarian aid.
Israel maintains that the ground operations are limited in scope and duration, aimed at creating a security buffer zone and dismantling Hezbollah’s forward military infrastructure that has been used to threaten northern Israel for years. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated in a televised address: “We will not allow Hezbollah to rebuild its terror infrastructure on our border. Every rocket fired at Israeli civilians will be met with a disproportionate response until the threat is eliminated.”
Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, speaking via recorded video from an undisclosed location, vowed that “the resistance will continue until the last Zionist soldier is expelled from Lebanese soil.” He accused Israel and the United States of seeking to “occupy southern Lebanon once again” and warned of expanding attacks deeper into Israeli territory if the incursion continues.
The spillover has already strained Lebanon’s fragile economy and political system. Prime Minister Najib Mikati called an emergency cabinet meeting, describing the situation as “an existential threat to Lebanese sovereignty and civilian life.” The Lebanese pound continued its freefall on currency markets, and fuel shortages worsened as supply routes from the south were cut off.
Internationally, the escalation has drawn sharp criticism. France, a traditional mediator in Lebanon, urged an immediate ceasefire and offered to facilitate talks. Russia and China called for an emergency UN Security Council session, while the United States reiterated support for Israel’s right to self-defense but expressed concern over the humanitarian impact and the risk of a broader regional war.
As night falls on March 5, heavy fighting continues along multiple axes in southern Lebanon. Artillery exchanges light up the sky, while the sound of low-flying drones and helicopter gunships echoes across the border. For the civilians caught between two heavily armed forces, there is little respite—and no clear end in sight.
Juba Global News Network will continue providing real-time coverage of this rapidly evolving front in the wider conflict.
