Hezbollah Engages in Fierce Clashes with Israeli Forces in Southern Lebanon
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement stated on Thursday that its fighters were engaged in “heavy clashes” at close range with Israeli troops in the town of Aita al-Shaab.
Hezbollah confirmed that its fighters targeted a Merkava tank that was assisting Israeli forces and destroyed another Merkava tank using a guided missile.
The Israeli military reported the deaths of four soldiers during combat operations in southern Lebanon, along with six others injured, three critically. It released a statement naming the soldiers who "fell during combat" on Wednesday.
A source close to Hezbollah indicated that one of the villages came under heavy Israeli fire in the fiercest attack in a year. The source denied Israeli forces had succeeded in gaining positions inside Lebanese territory, asserting, “The Israeli army has not been able to fully establish control or occupy any village.”
In another engagement, Hezbollah said it thwarted an Israeli infiltration attempt near the border village of Aitarun. It launched a series of rocket salvos targeting Israeli troops stationed in Misgav Am, Kiryat Shmona, Manara, and a logistical base near Nahariya and Acre.
Israeli media reported that a missile struck Nahariya in the western Galilee region, causing explosions and two injuries. An Israeli military source revealed that 50 rockets were fired into Galilee within two minutes, injuring three people with shrapnel.
On Wednesday, Hezbollah reported the destruction of 28 Merkava tanks, four bulldozers, a personnel carrier, and an armored vehicle since Israel’s ground operations began. The resistance group said its fighters had also downed three Hermes 450 drones and one Hermes 900 drone.
Lebanese news outlet Al Mayadeen stated that recent Israeli airstrikes targeted towns near Boudai and al-Halaniya in the Beqaa Valley. It reported that Israel used internationally banned phosphorus munitions during its strikes in southern Lebanon, a claim echoed by Lebanese media.
According to rights organizations, Israel previously employed cluster munitions in civilian areas during the 2006 conflict and used US-supplied white phosphorus in Gaza and Lebanon in 2023. Human Rights Watch verified Israel’s use of white phosphorus in at least 17 southern Lebanese municipalities since October 2023.
The Israeli military’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza, now in its second year, has claimed over 42,800 lives since October 2023.
Since late September, Israel has launched an intense air and ground onslaught against Lebanon after nearly a year of cross-border exchanges with Hezbollah over the war in Gaza.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that Israeli strikes have killed at least 2,546 people, including 140 children and 270 women, and wounded 11,862 others. Israel’s attacks have been conducted either without notice or with warnings given only minutes before launching strikes.
