Israel escalated military operations in southern Lebanon Tuesday, sending additional troops across the border and ordering residents of more than 80 villages to evacuate as tensions with Hezbollah reached a breaking point. The Iran-backed militant group declared it was ready for open warfare after Israel launched airstrikes that killed 52 people in Lebanon, including a Hezbollah intelligence official in Beirut.

Hezbollah retaliated with rocket salvos toward northern Israel while Israeli airstrikes overnight damaged the group's TV and radio stations in Beirut's southern suburbs. The Israeli military's Arabic spokesman warned residents to leave designated areas, stating they should not return until further notice. A senior Hezbollah official said the group's patience has ended after more than a year of ceasefire violations, leaving it with no option but to fight an open war with Israel.

The United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon confirmed Israeli forces crossed into Lebanon before returning south of the Blue Line border. This latest escalation follows Israel's 2024 ground invasion of Lebanon and continued near-daily strikes since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire halted fighting in November 2024.