Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon appears imminent

With the apparent failure of their air war against Hezbullah, it looks like it will be only a matter of time before Israeli ground forces invade south Lebanon:

JERUSALEM, July 21 (Reuters) - Israel's army may soon expand ground operations against Hizbollah guerrillas in Lebanon and call up "massive" numbers of reserves, an Israeli newspaper on Friday quoted a top officer as saying.

Israeli media reported that thousands of soldiers were already operating inside southern Lebanon, where they have been trying to destroy Hizbollah bunkers but also coming under heavy attack. The army refused to confirm or deny those reports.

"It's possible that in the coming days our ground operations will increase," Brigadier-General Alon Friedman, a senior commander, told the Maariv newspaper.

"We have many forces, we will carry out a massive recruitment of reserves and it's possible that many more forces ... will reach the border in the next few days."

Israel's army confirmed on Friday that four soldiers were killed and several wounded in fierce clashes with Hizbollah guerrillas just inside Lebanon on Thursday.

Ground forces command chief Major-General Benny Gantz told Maariv that air strikes were insufficient.

"As much as it hurts to lose troops, we want the mission to succeed. We will be everywhere we choose to operate," he said.

Gantz said the army did not plan a long-term incursion.

Maariv also quoted senior military sources as saying Hizbollah's forces in southern Lebanon had not been harmed significantly. [More...]

AP coverage here.