For the first time since 2006, Israeli forces have penetrated into Lebanon in a new, targeted ground offensive against Hezbollah.

Israel has been systematically working to eliminate the terror organization's leadership, using targeted strikes as well as exploding electronic devices in a unique attack on Hezbollah's communications network. But the Israel Defense Force (IDF) has now turned the renewed conflict into on-ground raids against Hezbollah's remaining forces.

"The IDF began limited, localized, and targeted ground rais based on precise intelligence against Hezbollah terrorist targets and infrastructure in southern Lebanon," the military said. "These targets are located in villages close to the border and pose an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel."

The IDF has signaled that the offensive on the ground is not a war but a series of targeted operations it calls a "methodical plan set out by the General Staff and the Northern Command, which soldiers have been trained and prepared for in recent months."

More on the IDF's plan:

There was no word on how long the operation would last, but the army said soldiers had been training and preparing for the mission in recent months.

Ahead of the Israeli announcement, U.S. officials said Israel had launched small ground raids inside Lebanon. And in another sign the invasion was imminent, Israel declared three small border communities to be a “closed military zone,” restricting access only to army personnel.

There were no reports of direct clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah militants. But throughout the evening, Israeli artillery units pounded targets in southern Lebanon and the sounds of airstrikes were heard throughout Beirut. Smoke rose from the capital’s southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a strong presence, shortly after Israel ordered residents of three buildings to evacuate.

Hezbollah began launching attacks against Israel after Hamas launched its deadly attack on the Jewish state on October 7, 2023 - the single deadliest act of violence against Jews since the Holocaust.