Israeli army says prepared for Lebanon ground maneuver

The Israeli state media said Thursday that the Israeli army is prepared for a ground maneuver in Lebanon.

The army has informed the government that it has finalized preparations for a maneuver that would be preceded by powerful airstrikes, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had told the U.S. Congress on Wednesday that Israel prefers diplomacy but will do "whatever it must" to secure its northern border, where its forces are engaged in near-daily clashes with Lebanon's Hezbollah.

"Let me be clear: Israel will do whatever it must do to restore security to our northern border and return our people safely to their homes," Netanyahu said, referring to those displaced by the fighting.