Israel said it deployed more forces in Lebanon to protect its people, but its military chief said the goal is more ambitious: to disarm Hezbollah. Israel made plans for the incursion well in advance.

As Israel intensifies its campaign against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia, Lebanon is now teetering on the brink of being fully sucked into the escalating US and Israeli war on Iran – a fate the fragile Lebanese government has been desperate to avoid.

By Emma Farge and Olivia Le Poidevin GENEVA, March 3 (Reuters) - At least 30,000 displaced people have sought protection in shelters in Lebanon since hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah escalated this week,

Israel has invaded southern Lebanon in a major escalation of the war in the Middle East. IDF troops crossed the border on Monday night after Hezbollah launched missiles southwards for the first time in 15 months, in revenge for Israel’s killing of Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader. Iran arms, funds and directs the terror group.

As Washington's allies in the Gulf came under renewed attack from Iranian missiles and drones, black smoke rose above the area around the U.S. embassy in Kuwait. There were loud blasts in Dubai and Samha in the United Arab Emirates, and in the Qatari capital Doha.

Trump added that he had ordered oil tanker insurance support, a move that marks an aggressive step to try to contain soaring energy prices.

The Israeli military said it had seized areas of southern Lebanon on Tuesday in an escalating conflict with the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia, as the State Department closed its embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait after drone attacks and urged Americans to depart immediately from 14 Middle East countries.

Israeli strike hits Hezbollah-aligned media building in Beirut’s southern suburbs following an evacuation warning