Israeli bombardment continued in southern Lebanon throughout Thursday night and into Friday, as warplanes launched raids at Kfar Rumman, Khiam, Aita al-Shaab, Shihabiya, Jabshit, Harouf, Ansar and Ansar al-Duwair.
On Thursday after midnight, Kfar Rumman was subjected to two consecutive warplane raids, in addition to two raids on the outskirts of Aita al-Shaab and a second on the town of Hanin.
The cities and villages of Tyre and Bint Jbeil witnessed heavy Israeli raids until Friday early morning, as fighter jets and drones targeted areas and destroyed entire buildings and neighborhoods.
Successive and intense air attacks on Majdel Selm led to the destruction of the town’s old mosque.
Israeli artillery targeted the towns of Aita al-Shaab, Ramiya, al-Dhaira, al-Bustan, Maroun, Yaroun and the outskirts of Bint Jbeil with heavy shelling that lasted for more than half an hour, accompanied by heavy machine gun fire towards the towns of Marwahin and Tarbikha in the western sector.
Overnight, heavy reconnaissance drones were reported above the Litani river at low altitude and flares were launched over the border villages adjacent to the Blue Line.
Hezbollah:
For its part, Hezbollah had claimed responsibility for “shelling the Zafalon settlement with a large rocket,” and “targeting a gathering of Israeli soldiers with a rocket salvo in the vicinity of the town of Aita al-Shaab, while they were trying to evacuate the wounded and dead soldiers.”
Hezbollah Statement:
Hezbollah also issued a statement early Friday morning announcing a shift in strategy and a “transition to a new and escalating stage.”
The pro-Iranian group issued a statement claiming that the Israeli army had suffered “heavy losses” in confrontations on the frontline of southern Lebanon to Israeli positions inside.
“The Israeli enemy army has brought five military divisions, including 70,000 officers and soldiers, and hundreds of tanks and military vehicles,” the statement added.
On ground confrontations, Hezbollah indicated that they have confronted Israeli forces “at zero distance,” in several border villages, “luring them into ambushes resulting in 10 deaths and more than 150 injuries.”
Hezb also claimed destroying 9 Merkava tanks and 4 military bulldozers.
On the other hand, the pro-Iranian group revealed the use of various types of drones to target Israeli military bases, “some of which were used for the first time.”
The statement continued, “using appropriate weaponry, the air-force unit of Hezbollah was able to shoot down two Israeli Hermes 450 reconnaissance aircraft.”
The statement concluded that “a total of 55 deaths and more than 500 injuries, in addition to the destruction of 20 Merkava tanks, 4 military bulldozers, an armored vehicle and a troop carrier, were recorded” within the Israeli military.
Israel
Mohammed Hussein Rammal, commander of Hezbollah’s Taybeh compound, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, on Friday, according to the Israeli army.
The Israeli army confirmed his death, citing his involvement in orchestrating terror activities against Israel. The strike was carried out by troops from the 98th Division under direct orders.
According to the same source, troops of the 7th Armored Brigade located and destroyed several rocket launchers primed for launch toward northern Israel.
Weapons belonging to Hezbollah have been uncovered during operations in southern Lebanon, including sniper rifles, anti-tank missile launchers, and Burkan-type missiles, which were “ready for use” and “aimed at Israel’s territory.”
The military statement adds that “the Israeli Air Force also acted against a terrorist cell in southern Lebanon that was preparing to fire an anti-tank missile at troops operating on the ground.”
According to the Israeli media, on Thursday, a ground offensive conducted by Israel’s Golani Brigade’s reconnaissance unit resulted in the death of five soldiers.
Another officer and two soldiers were seriously injured in the incident, in addition to a number of soldiers who were seriously hurt during separate battles in southern Lebanon.
Furthermore, Israeli media reported that “13 soldiers were injured in a difficult incident in which an explosive drone targeted an Israeli force in southern Lebanon.”
Moreover, the Israeli army declared that “15 rockets were fired from Lebanon at northern Israel after rocket sirens were activated in Acre and surrounding communities.”
Some of the rockets were intercepted, it says, while a number of them fell inside Israel with no immediate reports of injuries or damage as a result of the rocket fire.
The Israeli military also said that the Israeli Air Force intercepted an unmanned aerial vehicle off the coast overnight.
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