One civilian and two Hezbollah fighters killed in Israeli bombardment in Lebanon
A civilian and two Hezbollah fighters were killed during intense Israeli bombardment of the southern Lebanese towns of Khiam and Kafr Kila.
The assault overnight into Thursday came after a Hezbollah attack in northern Israel wounded 14 soldiers.
Residents of Khiam said the civilian killed was Ahmed Hassan Al Ahmad, a Bedouin shepherd who had been visiting the town. An official for local civil defence association, the Risala Scouts, said paramedics found him dead at the scene.
Hezbollah said two of its fighters were killed in the strikes on Kafr Kila, identifying them as Ali Ahmad Hamadeh and Mohammed Jamil Shami.
Lebanon’s state news agency said the militants were killed by drone strikes at dawn.
Khiam was struck in a series of Israeli air raids followed by a barrage of more than 100 artillery and phosphorous shells overnight in a significant escalation, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported.
Images and footage shared on social media showed the extent of the bombardment, with skies over the town – which is usually on the outskirts of direct fire – lighting up from the falling phosphorus shells.
Hezbollah said its attack, using guided missiles and drones, was in retaliation for Israel’s “assassination of a number of resistance fighters” the day before.
A senior field commander and two fighters of the Iran-supported group were killed in strikes on the Lebanese towns of Ain Baal and Shehabieh.
Israel and Hezbollah, along with its allied armed groups, have been engaged in violent conflict since October 8, a day after Israel launched its military offensive in the Gaza Strip.
Hezbollah says it is carrying out the attacks in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas in Gaza.
Lebanese officials said this week early findings suggest Israel’s Mossad spy agency was behind the killing of a US-sanctioned Lebanese currency exchanger linked to Hezbollah and Hamas.
The body of Mohammad Srour, 57, was found riddled with bullets in a villa in the Lebanese mountain town of Beit Meri last Tuesday.