Hezbollah thwarts Israeli infiltration attempts into southern Lebanon, hits northern Israel in counterattack

By Anadolu staff

BEIRUT (AA) – Hezbollah on Thursday said to have thwarted Israeli infiltration attempts into southern Lebanon and struck multiple targets in northern Israel in a counterattack.

Hezbollah stated in a series of statements on Telegram by 1450GMT that it "targeted an Israeli tank with guided missiles as it advanced towards the town of Ras al-Naqoura, resulting in its burning and destruction, and casualties among its crew."

It later stated that it "fired three missile volleys at Israeli forces attempting to advance to evacuate the injured from the destroyed tank."

The Lebanon-based resistance group also noted that it "targeted Israeli forces with a missile volley as they advanced towards the Kniseh area, between the towns of Mays al-Jabal and Mhaibib."

Moreover, it reported that its fighters "fired three missile volleys at two gatherings of Israeli soldiers in the Khallet al-Shandiba area, in the town of Aita al-Shaab, and around the Yaruon cemetery, as well as movements of other soldiers in the Al-Majdal hill area in Mays al-Jabal."

Hezbollah is also said to have "shelled the Zofolon area north of Haifa with a large missile volley."

It added to have "shelled the settlements of Karmiel and Kiryat Shmona, and gatherings of Israeli soldiers in the settlements of Kfar Giladi, Beit Hillel, Ma'ayan Baruch, Yir'on, and around the al-Marj military site."

Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that two Israelis were injured on Thursday as a result of 100 rockets fired from Lebanon into northern Israel, while Tel Aviv claimed to have attacked 110 Hezbollah targets.

Israel has mounted massive airstrikes across Lebanon against what it claims are Hezbollah targets since Sept. 23, killing at least 1,323 people, injuring over 3,700 others, and displacing more than 1.2 million people.

The aerial campaign is an escalation from a year of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah since the start of its offensive on the Gaza Strip, in which Israel has killed over 42,000 people, most of them women and children, since a Hamas attack last year.

Despite international warnings that the Mideast was on the brink of a regional war amid Israel’s relentless attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, it expanded the conflict on Oct. 1 by launching an incursion into southern Lebanon.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala