Ground invasion. On lebanon, Israels Defense Minister said they were ready to use forces from air, Sea And Land to achieve its objectives against hezbollah to ensure people whod evacuated their homes in northern israel were safe to return. Use the quote that it would start soon in the few minutes. Hezbollah s Deputy Leader has insisted that the group is ready if israel decides to invade lebanon. In a defiant speech, he said the battle against israel will continue. In a separate development, lebanons Prime Minister said hes ready to deploy the Countrys Army to defend the Border Area if needed. Joining me now is our correspondentjon donnison, whos injerusalem, and anna foster, whos in beirut. And Tom Bateman in washington. First of all, all the indicators point to this Ground Incursion, this Ground Invasion starting pretty soon. Starting pretty soon. Yeah, thats right. Starting pretty soon. Yeah, thats right. The starting pretty soon. Yeah, thats right. The defence i thats right. The Defence Minister if you are saying suggesting it could happen as today, so thats really in the next few hours. The big question is what will this Ground Incursion involved. We understand that already some israeli Special Forces have been into lebanon carrying out intelligence operations, possibly dismantling some tunnels and infrastructure, but i think the question is to what extent are they going to push into southern lebanon . How deep are they going to go . Are they going to stay there and try to occupy some territory or are they going to be going in crossing back over into israel . But none of those things are clear at the moment, but it definitely seems like they are going to move to next phase of the operation. The operation. Lets cross to tom in washington. The operation. Lets cross to tom in washington. We the operation. Lets cross to | tom in washington. We were listening to President Biden, and he was asked to exist about exactly this and he was still saying that he wanted a Cease Fire so there is again real tension between the us administration that is constantly talking about the escalation and a israeli Prime Minister that is again making a move that escalates the situation. Situation. Well, yeah. President situation. Well, yeah. President biden situation. Well, yeah. President biden was l situation. Well, yeah. President biden was asked how much President Biden was asked how much he President Biden was asked how much he knew about these reports much he knew about these reports of a limited Ground Operation starting soon and also operation starting soon and also what he made of that. Now he said also what he made of that. Now he said that he knew more than the reporter thought and that he was the reporter thought and that he was comfortable with them stopping this, and then as you say called stopping this, and then as you say called for a Cease Fire once say called for a Cease Fire once again. So a clear sign from once again. So a clear sign from the once again. So a clear sign from the us president that he is hot from the us president that he is not comfortable with the way things is not comfortable with the way things are unfolding on the ground things are unfolding on the ground once again, but what we have ground once again, but what we have seen ground once again, but what we have seen throughout this is the same pattern, the same dynamic the same pattern, the same dynamic in that weve seen us Pressure Dynamic in that weve seen us pressure the israelis to try and pressure the israelis to try and pull pressure the israelis to try and pull back. That was at its most and pull back. That was at its most acute last week during a week most acute last week during a week of most acute last week during a week of United Nations General Assembly where the Americans were assembly where the Americans were leading a Double Medic Charge were leading a Double Medic Charge calling for a truce between israel and hezbollah, calling between israel and hezbollah, calling for mediated talks, collect calling for mediated talks, collect and to pull back from the brink. And we saw the absolute the brink. And we saw the absolute rejection of that by Benjamin Netanyahu last week. Within Benjamin Netanyahu last week. Within 24 hours of the Americans making the call and some Americans making the call and some officials were briefing to expect some officials were briefing to expect the israelis to release a statement that will warm to the Cease Fire, effectively welcoming it, and what we saw in action welcoming it, and what we saw in action was the complete opposite. That vivid image of Benjamin Netanyahu authorising the strike on Hassan Nasrallah from the strike on Hassan Nasrallah from his the strike on Hassan Nasrallah from his Hotel Room in New York from his Hotel Room in New York i from his Hotel Room in New York. I think the Americans have york. I think the Americans have a york. I think the Americans have a clear idea of the degree to which have a clear idea of the degree to which Benjamin Netanyahu is listening to which Benjamin Netanyahu is listening to them on this not only listening to them on this not only the listening to them on this not only the fact that what is happening on the ground of moving happening on the ground of moving away from american pressure moving away from american pressure but also then having to actively the israeli actions. Of course we have had from actions. Of course we have had from the actions. Of course we have had from the president downwards the welcoming of the killing of hassah the welcoming of the killing of Hassan Nasrallah, the president pointing Hassan Nasrallah, the president pointing out that hezbollah was responsible for the Killing And Kidnapping of many Americans in the past kidnapping of many Americans in the past. Look on that but they are at the past. Look on that but they are at the the past. Look on that but they are at the same time probably extremely concerned about this extremely concerned about this extremely sharp Escalation And Ithink extremely sharp escalation and i think thats why we are again saying i think thats why we are again saying President Biden saying they should stop and there should they should stop and there should be a Cease Fire but i think should be a Cease Fire but i think events on the ground are clearly think events on the ground are clearly now out of the control of the clearly now out of the control of the Americans. Clearly now out of the control of the Americans. Tom, thank ou. Of the Americans. Tom, thank you lets of the Americans. Tom, thank you lets go of the Americans. Tom, thank you lets go to of the Americans. Tom, thank you. Lets go to beirut of the Americans. Tom, thank you. Lets go to beirut and of the Americans. Tom, thank you. Lets go to beirut and all| you. Lets go to beirut and all of these reports about the Ground Incursion possibly starting in the next couple of hours, and of course that is what so many people in lebanon have been fearing for a very long time, a ground moved by the israelis. The israelis. Thats right, matthew. The israelis. Thats right, matthew, and the israelis. Thats right, matthew, and thats the israelis. Thats right, | matthew, and thats what the israelis. 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Places israel has been Nothing Air strikes Places Israel has been Nothing Air strikes for Places Israel has been Nothing Air strikes for over Places Israel has been Nothing Air strikes for overa Places Israel has been Nothing Air strikes for over a week. Air strikes for over a week. They Air Strikes for over a week. They said Air Strikes for over a week. They said theyve Air Strikes for over a week. They said theyve been Air Strikes for over a week. L they said theyve been doing that they said theyve been doing that to they said theyve been doing that to repair they said theyve been doing that to repair the they said theyve been doing that to repair the ground they said theyve been doing that to repair the ground for| that to repair the ground for possible that to repair the ground for possible ground that to repair the ground for possible Ground Invasion that to repair the ground for| possible Ground Invasion and that possible Ground Invasion and that they possible Ground Invasion and that they were possible Ground Invasion and that they were targeting, possible Ground Invasion and. 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Back to Iraq And Iran air cancelled the rest of its flights cancelled the rest of its flights which cancelled the rest of its flights which other cancelled the rest of its flights which other commercial airliners flights which other commercial airliners had flights which other commercial airliners had already flights which other commercial airliners had already done flights which other commercial airliners had already done and | airliners had already done and Picking Airliners had already done and picking Up Airliners had already done and picking up On Airliners had already done and picking up on want, picking up on want, saying there. Picking up on want, saying there, obviously picking up on want, saying there, obviously there picking up on want, saying there, obviously there are| picking up on want, saying there, obviously there are many displaced there, obviously there are many displaced lebanese there, obviously there are many displaced lebanese here there, obviously there are many displaced lebanese here in there, obviously there are many displaced lebanese here in thel displaced lebanese here in the country displaced lebanese here in the country already displaced lebanese here in the country already but displaced lebanese here in the country already but there displaced lebanese here in the country already but there are L Country already but there are also country already but there are also Nationals Country already but there are also nationals of country already but there are also nationals of other also nationals of other countries also nationals of other countries too. Also nationals of other countries too. I also nationals of other countries too. I was i also nationals of other countries too. I was seeing something countries too. I was seeing something on countries too. I was seeing something on to countries too. I was seeing something on to the countries too. I was seeingj something on to the media earlier something on to the media earlier that something on to the media earlier that was something on to the media earlier that was directed i something on to the media earlier that was directed atj something on to the media i earlier that was directed at us citizens ear