Casualties in new exchanges of fire on the border between Israel and Lebanon
On Saturday there were renewed exchanges of fire between the Israeli army and Lebanese Hezbollah fighters in the border area between the two countries.
In Lebanon, the Hezbollah movement, a Hamas ally, claimed four of its fighters were killed in the clashes. Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian armed group, announced the death of one of its fighters.
The Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) said in the evening that the Israeli Air Force had carried out airstrikes near the border, particularly in Alma Al-Shaab, Yarin and Dhayra, and spoke of “significant bombings near Yaroun” in addition to Bint. Jbeil.
The Israeli army reported a series of incidents in northern Israel on Saturday, including the firing of an anti-tank missile at the agricultural village of Baram by Hezbollah fighters, injuring three Israeli soldiers, one seriously and two lightly.
The army also said in the evening that it had attacked a position from which the Lebanese Shiite group planned to fire anti-tank missiles towards the Shlomi region. According to the Israeli Emergency Relief Authority, two Thais were injured by shrapnel near the farming village of Margaliot, which was the scene of the shooting the day before.
Hezbollah said on Saturday it had attacked the Hanita sector with “guided missiles” as well as the “Al-Abbad site”, claiming to have destroyed “technical equipment” there. He also said he bombed “the position of Ruwaisat Al-Alam” in the disputed Chebaa Farms sector.
Hezbollah’s number two, Sheikh Naïm Qassem, again threatened escalation: “Depending on the events, if an event occurs that requires increased intervention on our part, we will do so,” he said. He warned at the funeral of a Hezbollah fighter.
These new exchanges of fire took place while Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was visiting soldiers stationed in the north of the country. “Hezbollah has decided to join the fight and is paying the price,” he said.
According to a count by Agence France-Presse, at least 26 people have been killed in southern Lebanon since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, including more than fifteen Hezbollah fighters, but also civilians, including a Portal journalist.
On the Israeli side, three soldiers and one civilian were killed in exchanges of fire with Hezbollah, the army said.