Lebanese citizens can now travel to Iraq using only their ID cards, Lebanon’s General Security (GS) announced on Monday, as Israeli attacks on Lebanon intensified, with "limited" ground operations underway in the south, according to U.S. officials.

Acting General Security Director Elias Baissari issued a decision allowing Lebanese citizens without a valid passport, and intending to travel solely to Iraq, to do so with either an ID card, a family or individual civil status record, or an expired passport.

The GS said the decision has been communicated to land border crossings and Beirut International Airport. Airport security and land border posts have been instructed to prepare daily "nominative lists" for submission to General Security.