DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli troops battled Hezbollah militants inside Lebanon on Wednesday after launching what they say are limited ground operations there. The region meanwhile braced for further escalation as Israel vowed to retaliate for Iran’s ballistic missile attack the day before. In Gaza, where the nearly yearlong war that triggered the widening conflict rages on with no end in sight, Israeli ground and air operations in a hard-hit city killed at least 51 people, including women and children, Palestinian medical officials said. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Israel has continued to strike what it says are militant targets across Gaza nearly a year after Hamas’ Oct.