The U.S. is sending a “few thousand” troops to the Middle East to bolster security and to defend Israel if necessary, the Pentagon said Monday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also sought to send a message to Iranians on Monday, saying there was nowhere in the Middle East beyond Israel's reach.

Israel has begun ground operations in Lebanon it says targets Hezbollah, with flares and shelling, and strikes on the capitals of Lebanon and Syria, while Lebanon's military has withdrawn.

U.S. sends more fighter jets to Middle East as tensions rise, Israel launches ground operation in Lebanon.

Israel warned Lebanese people to evacuate border communities Tuesday to avoid harm from limited ground operations it said were launched against Hezbollah, and said it would retaliate if Hezbollah ally Iran launched a missile attack on Israel that a senior U.S. official said could come “imminently.”

The fighters have been trained to guard one another against attempted kidnapping.

This follows a series of attacks by Israel that killed over 1,000 people in less than two weeks, including Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and other commanders. Despite its biggest successes against Hezbollah in decades, Israel seems determined to launch a full-fledged invasion of Lebanon.

Israel and Iran engage in escalating conflict, with Israel targeting Hezbollah and Iran facing strategic decisions.

Western nations update evacuation plans for Lebanon amid border conflict, utilising Cyprus as a key hub for evacuations.

UPDATE: 10:44 a.m. Iran said it fired dozens of missiles into Israel on Tuesday, a sharp escalation of the monthslong conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militias Hezbollah and Hamas. There were no immediate reports of casualties as Israel ordered residents to head to bomb shelters and as air raid sirens sounded across the country.

The flagship of Iranian regional and global terrorism is plagued by confusion and uncertainty.

Hezbollah fired missiles at the headquarters of Israel's Mossad agency and at a military intelligence unit on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, which it described as 'just the beginning'. Tensions between both sides have peaked after a series of Israeli strikes that killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.

Israeli military warns Lebanese border communities to evacuate amid limited ground incursion against Hezbollah militants, escalating tensions.

Indian UNIFIL contingent remains in position amid Israel's limited incursion into south Lebanon, ensuring safety and peacekeeping duties.

Hezbollah said it fired missiles at the headquarters of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency and at a military intelligence unit on the outskirts of Tel Aviv on Tuesday. Hezbollah denied reports of Israeli troops entering the country and said it was ready for a 'direct confrontation'.

Mahmoud Ahmedinejad said that there were another 20 Israeli agents working for Mossad besides the spy head within the Iranian spy unit.

The two men discussed the "serious consequences for Iran" in the event Iran chooses to launch a direct military attack against Israel.

Many in Lebanon believe the country has been dragged into a war it hasn't chosen to fight.

Israel has ordered two dozen Lebanese border communities to evacuate as it has begun 'limited' ground operations against Hezbollah. Fears of an all-out war grew as Israel launched a series of attacks on Lebanon, killing Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Friday.

The Israeli military said Tuesday that Iran has fired missiles and it ordered residents to remain close to bomb shelters as air raid sirens sounded across the country.

The US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the intelligence, warned of "severe consequences" should Iran launch a ballistic missile against Israel, as US ships and aircraft are positioned in the region

Israel announced today it had launched raids targeting Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, days after killing its leader Hassan Nasrallah in an air strike on a bunker in south Beirut. Here is a rundown of what is known about Israel's ground operations so far.

Israeli residents were ordered to remain close to bomb shelters as Iran confirmed it launched dozens of missiles against Israel.

Syrian Observatory reports Israeli strikes in Damascus, killing civilians and fighters, escalating tensions in the region.

Iran has launched another strike against Israel that is aimed at overwhelming its Iron Dome defences in retaliation for attacks against its allies in the region

The ramping up of military action by Israel was done despite western calls for calm as the world braces for further violence. The Mirror explains what is happening now - and next

An Israeli official told Kan11 on Tuesday that preparations are being made for a "large-scale" Iranian attack on military facilities in Israel, as well as civilian targets.

CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour has sparked outrage as she insisted that Iran does not want conflict on live air as the nation rained missiles on Israel on Tuesday.

Iran has launched another massive projectile attack against Israel as tensions in the Middle East which could pull both of the countries' allies into a expanded conflict

The defence secretary says forces "played their part in attempts to prevent further escalation in the Middle East".

The Prime Minister repeated his advice to British nationals in Lebanon to leave immediately, with the situation becoming 'increasingly grave'.

"It is clear to us that the United States is concerned—and so they use 'tricks' to try and hinder this," the official said.