BEIRUT (Dispatches) -- The Israeli military deployed a fourth division to join its ground invasion of southern Lebanon, but Hezbollah forces beat them back after attacking them in Labbouneh.
Earlier on Tuesday, Hezbollah’s deputy leader Sheikh Naim Qassem delivered his first recorded speech since the assassination of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, in which he said the Zionist regime’s land invasion had “not advanced”.
The occupying military’s 146th Reserve Division began invading Lebanon on Monday night, just hours after the entry of a third division had been announced.
The recent deployments indicate that there may now be over 15,000 Zionist troops behind Lebanese borders. 
Hezbollah said its fighters attacked Israeli forces in Labbouneh near Naqoura in Lebanon’s southwest, where Unifil, United Nations peacekeepers, are headquartered.
“As an enemy Zionist force advanced... towards the border area of Labbouneh, supported by bulldozers and vehicles, our fighters rained artillery and rocket fire on them, causing confirmed casualties and forcing them to retreat,” the movement said in a statement. 
Hezbollah said the Zionist troops are using Unifil forces as human shields. It reported “direct confrontation between the resistance and a special Israeli force that infiltrated from behind a Unifil position in Labouneh”.
Satellite images on Tuesday showed 40 Israeli military vehicles near Unifil’s base in Maroun al-Ras, southern Lebanon.
Israel’s military said 30 soldiers had been wounded in the past 24 hours on the Lebanese border. 
The clashes came as Sheikh Qassem said Hezbollah’s capabilities remained “solid”, despite weeks of massive attacks by Israel.
“We are striking them. We are hurting them and we will prolong the time. Dozens of cities are within range of the resistance’s missiles,” Sheikh Qassem said, adding more settlers will be displaced in the north as the fighting escalates.
“Our military capabilities are fine. What our enemies say about our fighting capabilities is an illusion. They are lying,” he added.
“The Israeli plan is to kill Lebanese civilians and empty villages to cause chaos,” he said. “But I tell them, your efforts are a failure.”
Sheikh Qassem denied the invasion was making progress, saying “the Israeli enemy has not advanced”.
He also expressed support for efforts led by Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to bring about a ceasefire.
Sheikh Qassem also said every commander Israel has assassinated has been replaced, and that a new secretary general would be appointed following Hezbollah’s protocols.
Minutes after the recorded speech aired on Tuesday, Israeli airstrikes struck Beirut’s southern suburbs, nearly hitting a bridge that leads to Beirut’s airport.
The airstrikes targeted the towns of Arabsalim, Al-Sultaniyah, Yater, Al-Qulaylah, Aytaite, Tayr Harfa, Ansar, and Siddiqin in southern Lebanon. Israeli warplanes also carried out air strikes on the town of Al-Khader in the Beqaa region, eastern Lebanon.
At the same time, Hezbollah rockets rained down on northern Israel.
The occupying regime’s military said that over 100 rockets were fired at Haifa from Lebanon in two barrages, the largest salvo the city has witnessed since the start of Israel’s brutal war on Gaza.
The first barrage consisted of 85 rockets, while the second had around 20, the military said. Video footage circulating online appeared to show damage in some streets. 
In Gaza, Israeli tanks were sent deeper into Jabaliya refugee camp in the north, a day after intense bombardment there martyred 17 people. 
The Zionist regime sent messages to Palestinians in Jabaliya and nearby Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya ordering them to leave their homes. 
However, the interior ministry in Gaza told residents in the north not to leave, stating that Israel had previously issued such expulsion orders but did not ensure safe passages for civilians. 
Gaza’s health ministry, meanwhile, said that 56 Palestinians had been martyred in Israeli attacks on the enclave in the last 24 hours, bringing the number of martyrs to 41,965 since October 7, 2023.
Additionally, 97,590 people have been wounded since the start of the war on Gaza.