An Israeli mobile artillery unit as it fires into southern Lebanon from its position near the town of Kiryat Shmona yesterday. -Xinhua

The Israeli army confirmed yesterday that Israeli ground forces entered southern Lebanon to attack strongholds of Lebanon's Hizbollah guerillas along the border.

An Israeli army spokeswoman told Xinhua that only a small number of ground troops entered southern Lebanon, aiming to push Hizbollah out of the rocket-firing range.

The Lebanese Shiite militant group Hizbollah has rained rockets upon Israel since Israel started a massive offensive in Lebanon six days ago.

The large-scale Israeli military move came after Hizbollah guerillas kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight during cross-border clashes.

Twenty-four Israelis including 12 civilians have been killed while about 180 Lebanese, most of them civilians, have been killed since the violence between Hizbollah and Israel broke out.