Hezbollah says it thwarted Israeli incursion attempts into southern Lebanon

By Iyad Nabolsi

BEIRUT (AA) - The Lebanese Hezbollah group announced Wednesday it had repelled two attempted incursions by Israeli forces into southern Lebanon, resulting in injuries among Israeli soldiers.

In a statement, Hezbollah reported that its fighters targeted advancing Israeli troops with artillery and rocket fire in the Labbouneh area, ultimately forcing them to retreat. A second statement from the group detailed a similar confrontation in the town of Blida, where Hezbollah reported it inflicted casualties on Israeli forces attempting to infiltrate the area.

The Israeli army confirmed three of its soldiers sustained serious injuries in the fighting, according to a report from Israel's Channel 12.

The recent clashes follow intensified Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon, targeting what Israel claims are Hezbollah positions since Sept. 23. The air raids have killed over 1,250 people, injured 3,618, and displaced more than 1.2 million, Lebanese sources report.

Israel’s aerial campaign marks a serious escalation in its yearlong cross-border hostilities with Hezbollah, which have surged since Tel Aviv launched a brutal offensive in Gaza. That campaign has killed approximately 42,000 people, predominantly women and children, following a Hamas attack last year.

According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed at least 2,119 people and injured 10,019 to date.

Despite warnings from international observers about the growing risk of a regional war, Israel expanded the conflict on Oct. 1, initiating a ground invasion into southern Lebanon as it maintains its devastating offensive against Hezbollah and Gaza.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara