Israel has begun its invasion of southern Lebanon as the IDF announced early Tuesday that troops were carrying out “limited” raids aimed at wiping out Hezbollah outposts.

The boots-on-the-ground operation will see Israeli soldiers take out Hezbollah’s tunnels, rocket launchers and weapons caches along the southern border, all in an attempt to halt the terror group’s ability to launch daily attacks over the border, Israeli officials have said.

The widely expected ground incursion came after Israel mobilized its tanks and troops, and secured a wide stretch of the northern border on Monday. 

“In accordance with the decision of the political echelon, a few hours ago, the IDF began limited, localized, and targeted ground raids based on precise intelligence against Hezbollah terrorist targets and infrastructure in southern Lebanon,” the Israeli military said in its statement announcing the ground operation.

“These targets are located in villages close to the border and pose an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel,” the IDF statement said.

The IDF also deployed air force and artillery units to support troops on the ground. 

“These operations were approved and carried out in accordance with the decision of the political echelon,” the IDF added.

Just before the operation began, the Lebanese army withdrew, according to reports — leaving the Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah alone to face the Israel Defense Forces.

Israel said the primary goal of its operations against Hezbollah is to halt the daily rocket and missile attacks on towns and villages in the north of the Jewish state — and allow tens of thousands of displaced residents to return home.

The US was allegedly made aware of the plan just hours before it began, with President Joe Biden telling reporters Monday afternoon that he was opposed to further escalation in the region.

“I’m more aware than you might know,” Biden said of the looming incursion, “and I’m comfortable with them stopping. We should have a cease-fire now.”

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the US is being briefed on the incursion as it advises Israel to avoid “miscalculations” and “unintended consequences.”

“They have at this time, told us that those are limited operations focused on Hezbollah infrastructure near the border, but we’re in continuous conversations about it,” he said of the evolving situation.

Biden and Miller’s concerns were echoed by several foreign ministers in the European Union, who backed the American president’s call for a cease-fire through diplomacy.

Israel, however, has maintained that a policy of “de-escalation through escalation” is the only way to end Hezbollah’s daily attacks on northern Israel.

Hezbollah and Israel have exchanged fire on a near daily basis for almost a year — displacing tens of thousands of both Israeli and Lebanese people who live on either side of the border since the Israel-Hamas war began. 

Hezbollah has pledged to continue its rocket attacks on Israel until there is a cease-fire in the war that has decimated Gaza.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel’s latest operation was part of a new phase to end the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah.

“It will be a significant factor in changing the security situation and will allow us to complete the important part of the war’s goals, returning the residents to their homes,” Gallant said in a statement.

With Post wires