At least five people have been killed in an Israeli strike on a medical facility in Beirut, according to Lebanese officials. The Health Authority Centre was affiliated with Hezbollah
The announcement comes after a series of loud blasts have been heard by BBC reporters in the Lebanese city, as the Israeli military says it conducted "precise strikes" there
Three explosions were heard in Dahieh, in the city's southern suburbs - with a fourth blast at a building close to central Beirut
It comes as the IDF and Hezbollah report ground fighting inside southern Lebanon, a day after Israel announced it was invading
It later reports the deaths of eight Israeli soldiers in combat - the first inside Lebanon since the invasion began
Earlier, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran would "pay", after Iran fired around 180 missiles at Israel on Tuesday
Lebanese officials say more than 1,000 people have been killed in the past two weeks, while around a million may now be displaced
Watch: Analysing where Iran's missiles struck in Israel
Some 95 people were killed and 172 people injured in Israeli air strikes across Lebanon on Monday, the Lebanese health ministry says in its latest update.
Officials say more than 1,000 people in Lebanon have been killed in the past two weeks, while up to a million may now be displaced
Image source, ReutersIt's just after 05:00 in London, and 07:00 in Lebanon and Israel. Here's what you need to know if you're just joining us now:
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant on Monday, where they "agreed on on the necessity of dismantling attack infrastructure along the border" in order to protect Israel's northern communities from Hezbollah, according to a statement issued by the US Department of Defense.
Nevertheless, the statement also mentioned the importance of "ultimately pivoting from military operations to a diplomatic pathway".
Both sides also warned of "serious consequences" for Iran if it tried to launch a direct military attack on Israel.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken have reiterated calls for a ceasefire as the Israel-Lebanon conflict intensifies in a phone call on Monday night.
The pair “discussed the need to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East and the importance of ongoing diplomatic efforts to establish stability”, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.
They also spoke about their “joint efforts” to resolve the conflict in Gaza and bring the Israeli hostages being held by Hamas home, he added.
Earlier, Miller also reiterated that the US still supports the 21-day ceasefire proposal brought forward by 12 allies last week.
The Israel Defense Forces said as part of its "targeted" raids against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon its troops are being supported by artillery fire and air strikes.
Watch: Explosions seen on the lsrael-Lebanon border as IDF ground operation begins
The Israeli Air Force says it intercepted a drone “over the Mediterranean Sea dozens of kilometres off the coast of central Israel” overnight Monday into Tuesday.
No details were shared about the direction the unmanned aerial vehicle had crossed into Israel from, or the exact location it was intercepted.
Jo Floto
Middle East bureau chief in Jerusalem
As anticipated, this current operation appears to be taking place in areas close to the border, targeting infrastructure that the Israeli military describe as posing "an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel".
That is a threat that has long existed, but after the attacks of 7 October 2023 the Israeli government and military were not prepared to tolerate that level of risk any longer.
Hezbollah has had a public, and long-stated, ambition to capture the Galilee region of northern Israel. Israel has previously uncovered tunnel networks built by Hezbollah that were so extensive it would have been possible to infiltrate hundreds of fighters into Israel within a few minutes.
So while Israel’s military has devastated Hezbollah’s leadership and much of its weaponry over the last two weeks, it was becoming clear that it did not want to end the current conflict before it could destroy the military hardware, bunkers and tunnels that the group had prepared close to the Israeli border.
That is the operation that has begun tonight. But Israel knows from its own history that sending troops into Lebanon is one thing - getting them out again is quite another.
A Palestinian official says an Israeli military strike has hit Ain al-Hilweh - the largest refugee camp in Lebanon, according to reports.
The AFP and Reuters news agencies both reported camp officials saying a leader of the Palestinian group Fatah's armed wing was the apparent target.
It is believed to be the first strike on the camp near the southern city of Sidon since hostilities on the border between Lebanon and Israel broke out nearly a year ago.
Lucy Williamson
Reporting from northern Israel
There have been helicopters flying overhead for a while now here in northern Israel, sometimes flying low - and I can hear artillery at regular intervals some distance away.
Earlier tonight there were a series of loud explosions heard here as Israel confirmed it had launched “limited, localised and targeted” ground raids into Lebanon.
It’s not clear yet exactly what scale or form these raids are taking but there has been a build-up of troops here for days - earlier we saw two dozen tanks massed a short distance from the border.
Israel has delivered series of blows to Hezbollah in the past couple of weeks but a ground invasion like this is a different kind of battle, with new risks to both Israeli forces and regional stability, as well as to Lebanon itself.
Image source, EPAIsraeli tanks have been assembling near the border with Lebanon
While Israel's military has confirmed a ground operation is under way in southern Lebanon, state media in neighbouring Syria is reporting that three people have been killed and nine others injured in what it said were Israeli air strikes there.
Syrian state TV said in a statement it "mourns anchor Safaa Ahmad who was martyred in the Israeli aggression on the capital Damascus".
Israel has not commented on the strike and the BBC has not confirmed the involvement of its forces.
Sebastian Usher
Middle East regional editor, BBC World Service
There’s no doubt that Israel has landed a series of heavy blows on Hezbollah in recent weeks, but it’s come at the cost of Lebanese civilian lives, too.
Israel is going ahead with the ground incursion, despite urgent calls from its main ally - the US - not to do so. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clearly believes the momentum is with Israel.
What is unclear is how intense the combat may now be between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters, who are well armed and battle-hardened, even if their leadership has been decimated.
For the Lebanese people, the fear is that the country as a whole could be engulfed in their bitter conflict.
If you're just joining us, this is what happened before we received confirmation that Israel has sent troops into Lebanon to target Hezbollah:
Anna Foster
Reporting from Beirut
Minutes after 02:00 local time, the confirmation of an Israeli ground operation here in Lebanon finally came.
The IDF statement describes it as "limited" and "localised" but there’s no guarantee this war will be as simple as that.
Right now it’s hard to tell how much of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure still remains intact after more than a week of intense Israeli airstrikes.
If it has enough firepower left it could potentially attack cities deep inside Israel.
Other Iranian proxies here in the region - like the Houthis in Yemen or the militia groups it backs in Syria and Iraq - could try to hit Israeli targets or sites closer to home like nearby US military bases.
Iran itself may attempt another strike as it did back in April. All of these responses could happen, or none of them.
Tonight there are many more questions than answers, but it’s another pivotal, dangerous moment for a region that’s seen so many of them in the last few weeks.
As we reported earlier, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted on X confirmation that it has begun a ground operation in southern Lebanon.
This is the statement in full:
Quote MessageIn 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. These targets are located in villages close to the border and pose an immediate threat to Israeli communities in northern Israel. The IDF is operating according to a methodical plan set out by the General Staff and the Northern Command which IDF soldiers have trained and prepared for in recent months. The Israeli Air Force and IDF Artillery are supporting the ground forces with precise strikes on military targets in the area.
Quote MessageThese operations were approved and carried out in accordance with the decision of the political echelon. Operation "Northern Arrows" will continue according to the situational assessment and in parallel to combat in Gaza and in other arenas. The IDF is continuing to operate to achieve the goals of the war and is doing everything necessary to defend the citizens of Israel and return the citizens of northern Israel to their homes."
IDF statement
Israel has begun a ground operation in southern Lebanon, the Israeli military says, with "limited, localised and targeted raids" against Hezbollah.
The targets, located close to the border, pose "an immediate threat to Israeli communities", the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement, external posted to X.
"The Israeli Air Force and IDF Artillery are supporting the ground forces with precise strikes on military targets in the area," the statement added.
Nafiseh Kohnavard
Reporting from Beirut
Image source, ReutersIt is another sleepless night for Beirut as Israeli air strikes on Dahieh, in the southern suburbs of the city, have intensified.
Every few minutes I hear loud explosions - some louder than the others.
From my balcony once again I can see columns of smoke and a bright orange light over the skies of Dahieh.
My neighbours are all awake and with each explosion they run to their balcony to see where the air strike hit.
We can hear a drone buzzing in the sky over the city - and like in the last couple of days this one is also flying so low.
Just before the new wave of air strikes an Israeli army spokesperson released a warning to civilians living in three neighbourhoods of Dahieh asking them to leave their houses immediately.
It was published on X at 22:55 local time and then less than 30 minutes later a huge blast was heard even in our neighbourhood which is far from the attack site.
This is while thousands of people are already displaced having fled Dahieh as Israel’s air strikes intensified on that area. Many are sleeping in the streets as there are not enough shelters.
The UK government has chartered a commercial flight to help Britons and their dependents leave Lebanon, Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said.
British nationals and their spouse or partner, and children under the age of 18 are eligible, with vulnerable people being given priority. The flight is scheduled to leave Beirut on Wednesday.
The UK government will pay to charter the flight, which will depart from Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport, but British nationals will be expected to pay a fee of £350 per seat.
British nationals and dependants will be eligible to request a space on the flight. Any non-British dependants boarding the flight will require a visa, granted for at least six months, to enter the UK.
Any further flights in the coming days will depend on demand and the security situation on the ground, the Foreign office said.
Anna Foster
Reporting from Beirut
For those who remain in Dahieh - the Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut’s southern suburbs - it’s becoming a familiar message.
The IDF sent out a fresh warning late this evening, external that residents of three areas needed to evacuate. It meant Israeli air strikes were coming, and less than an hour later we heard two separate attacks.
The second was the louder, a long boom rumbling around the capital, the sound echoing and bouncing off the tall buildings around us.
As I write this update, we hear a third strike. Once again, it’s a tense and frightening night for people in the capital, some of whom are still sleeping out on the streets.
A BBC reporter on the ground in Beirut says they have heard the sound of fresh strikes in the last half hour.
The loud blasts come after the Israel Defense Forces ordered residents to evacuate three areas in southern Beirut "immediately" earlier this evening.
Jon Donnison
Reporting from Jerusalem
Israel's much anticipated ground offensive into southern Lebanon feels almost imminent.
The Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said as much earlier today as he met with troops on the border.
But the scale and scope of any operation is not clear. It may be incremental and limited to certain areas, rather than a full scale invasion across the entire frontier.
How deep Israeli forces will look to push into Lebanese territory is also uncertain. And they will likely face stiff resistance.
While much of Hezbollah’s leadership has been decimated in recent days, the Iranian backed militia still maintains tens of thousands of heavily armed, well trained fighters.