Israel is currently conducting, or is about to begin conducting, "small-scale operations," or "border movements," into Lebanon, two US officials told ABC News.

The officials stressed that Israel does not seem to have fully decided whether to launch a ground operation in Lebanon, but that the IDF is prepared for one. Such an operation, if it takes place, is likely to be "limited" in scope, they said.

The officials stressed to ABC that the goal of such an operation would be to allow tens of thousands of Israelis evacuated from northern Israel on October 8, 2023, to return to their homes - a goal which is not achieved simply by "decapitating" Hezbollah.

They also said that US officials received a "few minutes' notice" before the IAF strike which eliminated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

The officials also told ABC News that US officials were not given much time to prepare for hostile responses to Nasrallah's elimination, something "which did not please" them. They stressed that in their opinion, a diplomatic solution is the only viable long-term solution, though a military campaign may be what is necessary to allow it to happen.

Nasrallah demanded that any ceasefire with the Hezbollah terror group be tied to a ceasefire with the Hamas terror group, something which Israel refused to consider. Israel has set a goal of destroying Hamas militarily and ensuring that it cannot rule Gaza after the war's end.