Israel sent troops into southern Lebanon on Tuesday and warned residents of more than 80 villages to evacuate, as the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia declared it is ready for an “open war” following the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran.

The escalation followed Hezbollah’s rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel early Monday. Israel responded with airstrikes that killed 40 people in Lebanon, including a Palestinian militant and a Hezbollah intelligence official in Beirut’s southern suburbs. The figure is a revised count from an earlier report of 52 deaths. Lebanese authorities also reported 246 people wounded and tens of thousands displaced.

Hezbollah confirmed it launched two rocket salvos toward northern Israel on Tuesday morning, while Israeli strikes damaged a building housing Hezbollah’s TV and radio stations in Beirut’s southern suburbs. The Israeli military said it specifically targeted Hezbollah officials during these operations.

Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee warned residents of more than 80 southern Lebanese villages not to return until further notice. “The troops’ movements inside Lebanon are aimed at bolstering Israel's forward defense system and adding a layer of security,” he said.

A senior Hezbollah official, Mohamoud Komati, said the group had exhausted its patience after abiding by a ceasefire for more than a year. “The Zionist enemy wanted an open war, which it has not stopped since the ceasefire agreement. So let it be an open war,” he said.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun informed ambassadors from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the U.S., France, and Egypt that Hezbollah has been firing rockets from areas north of the Litani River. The Lebanese army is reportedly repositioning along the border as Israeli troops take new positions on strategic points in southern Lebanon.

The U.N. peacekeeping force UNIFIL confirmed that its peacekeepers observed Israeli troops crossing the border and returning, though it was unclear how many remained inside Lebanon.

The conflict traces back to the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel and subsequent escalations in Gaza, culminating in Israel’s ground invasion of Lebanon in September 2024. Israeli forces withdrew from most of southern Lebanon after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in November 2024 but continued occupying five border points and conducting near-daily strikes.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that 397 people were killed in Israeli strikes after the ceasefire and before Hezbollah’s latest attacks.