ISTANBUL

US President Donald Trump on Monday said that Hezbollah has been "a big problem" that was "rapidly being eliminated," as Israel launched a ground offensive in Lebanon targeting the Iranian-backed group.

Speaking at a meeting with Kennedy Center board members, Trump was asked whether he discussed the matter with Israeli leadership and if the US supports the Israeli ground invasion of southern Lebanon. He did not give a direct answer.

"Hezbollah is a problem, problem for a long time," he said.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed early Monday that the army began the ground operation. On Sunday, Israel's public broadcaster reported that the military had sought government approval to mobilize 450,000 reservists in preparation for the offensive.

Israel expanded airstrikes across Lebanon, including the capital Beirut, on March 2 following cross-border Hezbollah attacks amid the broader regional escalation triggered by the joint US-Israeli offensive against Iran.

Lebanese health authorities said the strikes have killed at least 886 people, wounded more than 2,100 others and displaced over 830,000.

Israel occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some of them for decades and others seized during the most recent war between October 2023 and November 2024.