Eight Israelite soldiers killed during combat with Hezbollah in Lebanon

Israeli forces launched a ground offensive against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, escalating tensions.

In a comforting video, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “We are at the height of a difficult fight against Iran's Evil Empty, which wants to destroy us”.

This will not happen, because we will stay united, and with God's help, we will win together”, Netanyah said.

Hezbollah is a militant group and political parties simultaneously, which controls much of southern Lebanon and is supported by Iran.

He has been declared a terrorist organisation by the United States, while the European Union has put its armed arm on the blacklist, but not his political party. Hezbollah's political party has seats in the Lebanese Parliament.

Hezbollah said its fighters are fighting Israeli forces inside Lebanon on Wednesday. This was the first time this group reported fighting since Israeli forces crossed the border.

The Israeli Army said regular infantry and armoured units are joining ground operations in Lebanon a day after Iran launched about 200 missiles towards Israel, fuelling fears that the Middle East is heading towards a broader conflict.

Iran said on Wednesday that its missile attack, the biggest attack ever against Israel, ended if there were no further provocations, but Israel and the United States have pledged to respond strongly.

More than 1,900 people have been killed and more than 9,000 others have been injured in Lebanon during almost a year of cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, but most of them have been killed in only the last two weeks, according to Lebanese Government statistics.

Lebanon's interim prime minister, Najib Mikati, said that about 1.2 million Lebanese people have moved as a result of Israeli attacks.

Netanyah has said that Israel will continue to fight the threat from Hezbollah and ensure the safe return of the displaced Israelites from their homes to the border with Lebanon.

The United Nations and the European Union reiterated calls for ceasefire, while the UN Security Council is expected to meet today to discuss the issue. / REL