Israel has begun ground attacks on Hezbollah inside Lebanon, says US

Shelling reported near border after warning of ‘next phase’ of war

- Jason Burke and Peter Beaumont , William Christou

Israeli forces are conducting limited ground operations targeting Hezbollah inside Lebanon, the US said last night, amid heavy shelling and tank fire along the border between the two countries.

"This is what they have informed us that they are currently conducting, which are limited operations targeting Hezbollah infrastructure near the border," the US state department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, told journalists.

Lebanese media reported shelling and tank fire targeting border villages adjacent to an area of northern Israel that had been declared a closed military zone earlier yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese army said it was "repositioning and regrouping forces" amid reports it had withdrawn three miles from the country's southern border.

The reports followed fresh airstrikes in Lebanon - including on central Beirut for the first time in nearly 20 years and came after Israel's defence minister, Yoav Gallant, told community leaders the "next phase of the war against Hezbollah will begin soon".

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, meanwhile warned Tehran it could strike anywhere in the region at will. "There is nowhere in the Middle East Israel cannot reach," he said in a video addressed to the Iranian people.

Gallant had earlier told troops in northern Israel: "We will use all of our capabilities - including you." The Israeli military later declared areas of Metula, Misgav Am and Kfar Giladi a closed military zone.

The US president, Joe Biden, said he was aware of Israel's plans to launch an operation into Lebanon as he urged against such a move. "I'm more aware than you might know and I'm comfortable with them stopping," he told reporters at the White House.

"We should have a ceasefire now." The threats from Netanyahu and Gallant came just days after an airstrike south of Beirut killed Hassan Nasrallah, the veteran leader of Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran.