Hezbollah targets Israeli troops near Lebanon

Hezbollah militants attacked Israeli soldiers near the Lebanese village of Labbouneh using artillery shells and rockets, the group announced on Wednesday (9 October). This attack followed Israel’s claim of killing two Hezbollah leaders who were successors to a slain leader. The Iran-backed group, which has been involved in the Gaza war for over a year, said it pushed back Israeli troops in ground clashes near the Lebanese border.

The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel has escalated significantly, raising concerns of a broader regional conflict that could draw in Iran and the United States. The Israeli military reported that three of its soldiers were severely injured in southern Lebanon over the past two days. Sirens sounded in northern Israel following Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Israel has launched multiple assassinations of Hezbollah leaders in recent weeks and expanded ground operations in southern Lebanon. Despite the escalation, Israeli officials have not disclosed the number of troops involved, though it is known that four military divisions, involving thousands of soldiers, are stationed near the border.

Beirut’s southern suburbs, once a densely populated area, have been heavily targeted by Israeli airstrikes. Evacuation warnings have emptied much of the area, prompting fears that the destruction seen in Gaza over the past year could be mirrored in Beirut. Many Lebanese residents have drawn comparisons between the situation in their capital and the devastation experienced in Gaza.

References

• Hezbollah strikes Israeli soldiers near Lebanon border