Tensions in South Lebanon rose on Saturday as Hezbollah led several attacks on Israeli military positions and Israeli shelling of border villages intensified.
Hezbollah announced drone attacks on Israeli military positions in Birkat Risha (attacked twice), Metula, and near the Ramim barracks, claiming to have killed and wounded soldiers. This was confirmed, as the Israeli army said Saturday that a soldier was killed and two others were wounded in the area of Margaliot on the Lebanese border. A spokesperson for the Israeli Army told AFP the casualties were caused by a “hostile aircraft”.
Earlier, Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said that the air force had “intercepted an air unit that infiltrated the north of the Hebrew state from Lebanon, following the activation of alarm sirens.” On his X account, he also reported that “the intrusion of another air unit was detected and that it crashed in the Margaliot region,” stressing that “the army is retaliating with artillery shelling inside Lebanese territory.”
Three anti-tank missiles were also launched from southern Lebanon towards Israel, and alarm sirens sounded in western Galilee.
Hezbollah also announced attacks on an infantry unit in the Ramim forest, the military position of al-Radar, opposite Shebaa, and two homes in the settlement of al-Manara, where the presence of Israeli soldiers had been spotted. The operation resulted in deaths and injuries, according to the statement.
On the Lebanese side, three Israeli air raids targeted the Jabal Blat area in the western sector. Other raids targeted Aitaroun and Maroun al-Ras.
In addition, Israeli artillery fire targeted the outskirts of the villages of Blida, Mays al-Jabal, Hula, Rab al-Talatine, Deir Mimas, Khiam, Kfar Kila, Hamames, Chqif in Kfarchouba, Wadi el-Slouki, Marwahin, Yaroun, Labbouneh, Naqoura and Hamoul as well as Wadi Hassan, between Jebine and Majdel Zoun, and the area between Rachaya al-Fekhar and Kfar Hamam.
A shell fell near a house in the Sbeih and Bir al-Msalbiyat neighborhoods. Shots were also fired at Aita al-Shaab and Ramya, from the Israeli position of Birkat Risha. A missile exploded over Aitaroun and another over Dhaira in the western sector. In addition, machine-gun fire targeted houses inhabited by Syrian workers in Abbassiyeh.
In the afternoon, Israeli surveillance aircraft increased their flights over the western and central sectors, reaching as far as the Litani River.
Rescue workers in Majdel Zoun found a body under the rubble of a house destroyed by an Israeli strike on Friday, while three other people were injured.
Hezbollah announced the death of one of its fighters.
