Israel has pushed its Lebanon campaign into a new phase, sending ground troops deeper into southern Lebanon while stepping up airstrikes on Hezbollah sites from the border all the way to Beirut’s southern suburbs.

UN peacekeepers confirm Israeli forces are now operating in multiple frontier villages as part of a “buffer zone” push that could extend towards the Litani River. Lebanese authorities say more than 80,000 people have fled since Monday, with dozens killed and hundreds wounded in the bombardment.