The Israeli occupation army requests the evacuation of areas in southern Lebanon, and there is news of the start of a ground incursion

Israeli artillery and tanks shelled the towns of Khiam, Kfar Kila and Wazzani in what appears to be the start of a ground invasion of southern Lebanon, while the Israeli army decided to establish a closed military zone in northern Israel.

The Israeli army radio quoted a military source as saying that there was intensive shelling from the army's artillery from the Matula area towards Khiyam in southern Lebanon.

Al Jazeera's correspondent said that Israel bombed the towns of Khiam, Kfar Kila, Wazzani and Adaisseh in the south with artillery and tanks.

NBC quoted an American official as saying that Israel has deployed five brigades on the border, but not all of them are expected to move.

The senior official added that Israel has already begun reconnaissance operations and deployed engineers to carry out tasks such as breaching barriers, noting that the Israeli operation in Lebanon may begin tonight and continue for days, not weeks, within a limited scope.

The Israeli army called on the residents of the areas of Al-Laylaki, Haret Hreik and Burj Al-Barajneh in the southern suburbs of Beirut to evacuate immediately, stressing that it will strike hard in these areas.

Al Jazeera's correspondent said that the Israeli army bombed the surroundings of the town of Aita al-Shaab in southern Lebanon with incendiary shells.

On the other hand, a Lebanese security source told Al Jazeera that the Lebanese army had redeployed to border points as a result of Israeli threats.

Axios quoted Israeli officials as saying, "We are preparing for an imminent ground invasion focusing on villages near the border in southern Lebanon."

Israeli officials stressed that "the goal of the ground incursion is to clear the border and allow the return of tens of thousands of residents."

closed military zone

Officially, the Israeli army announced that it had decided to establish a closed military zone in Metula, Misgav Am and Kfar Giladi in northern Israel.

The occupation army said, "We are strengthening the defense on the contact line and preparing for the next stages of the fighting."

He added that the 188th Brigade forces conducted training near the northern border to raise readiness and protect towns in the north.

For its part, the Israeli newspaper Maariv reported that declaring the town of Metula and its surroundings a closed military zone appears to be a prelude to the start of a ground operation in the war in Lebanon.

The newspaper "Israel Today" said that the ground invasion of Lebanon is on the agenda of the Security Cabinet meeting currently being held.

The Washington Post quoted an American official on Monday as saying that Israel had informed his country that it was planning to launch a limited ground operation in Lebanon that might begin soon.

The US official added that the campaign planned by Israel would be smaller than its last war against Hezbollah in 2006, and would focus on "cleansing" Hezbollah's infrastructure to remove any threat on the northern border.

He pointed out that Israel's plans for a limited ground operation are consistent with the United States, and that the two parties have agreed not to repeat what happened in Gaza in Lebanon.

The American official noted that Israel has reduced its plans for a large-scale ground invasion to focus on an operation that includes only destroying missile launch pads.

Limited operations

For its part, CBS quoted an American official as saying that Israel informed Washington that the ground operation it will launch in southern Lebanon is imminent and may begin tonight.

An Israeli official told the newspaper that Israel had assured the United States that it would launch "limited operations" in a number of villages along the border with Lebanon.

Another US official confirmed to CNN that Israel may "soon" launch a limited ground attack on southern Lebanon, but spoke of Washington's "concern" that the limited ground incursion could develop into a larger operation in the long term.

Israeli special forces have already carried out limited incursions into southern Lebanon, according to statements made by an American official to Al Jazeera, “to survey the situation and prepare the conditions for a ground operation.”

The American official indicated that Israel might resort to establishing a buffer zone in the region to ensure the return of its residents to the north.

Commenting on media reports of an "imminent" Israeli ground operation in southern Lebanon, US President Joe Biden said he was "aware" of the reports, and that he would be "comfortable" if military operations between Israel and Hezbollah stopped.

Earlier today, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant hinted at the army's intention to carry out a ground invasion of southern Lebanon.

The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the army is exerting pressure at the political level to approve a ground operation in Lebanon.

Galant said - during a meeting with the heads of local authorities in the north - that the next phase in the war against Hezbollah will begin soon.

Tour on the border

Galant toured near the northern border, where he met with fighters from the 188th Brigade and the Golani Brigade, according to the Israeli news website Ynet.

"Eliminating (Hezbollah Secretary-General) Hassan Nasrallah is a very important step, but it is not everything," he told the soldiers, including members of the Armored Corps.

"I say here to the reserve and regular soldiers: Whatever needs to be done will be done. Our goal is to return the residents of the north to their homes," Galant added.

"We are ready to make every possible effort... and we will activate everything necessary, your forces and other forces from the air, land and sea," he added.

In contrast, Naim Qassem, the deputy secretary-general of Hezbollah, confirmed - in his first public speech after Nasrallah's assassination - that the party's fighters are ready to confront any ground invasion, indicating that Israel will not achieve its goals.

"We will confront any possibility if the Israeli (army) decides to enter by land...the resistance forces are ready for a ground engagement," Qassem said.

(Al Jazeera + Agencies)