Israel hits Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon amid escalation

By Zein Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli warplanes struck two buildings belonging to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon on Monday, the army said as tension continued to grow between the two sides.

The attack targeted the two buildings in the town of Mays al-Jabal after Hezbollah operatives were spotted inside, the army said in a statement.

The army said its artillery also targeted the town of Odaisseh to remove what it called "threats," without providing details.

Meanwhile, the army said its air defense systems intercepted a rocket fired from Lebanon, while another fell into an open area in northern Israel.

No injuries or damage were reported.

Hezbollah, for its part, said that its fighters had attacked with artillery shells an Israeli military post in the occupied Kafr Shuba Hills in southern Lebanon.

Fears have grown of a full-fledged war between Israel and Hezbollah amid an exchange of cross-border attacks. The escalation comes against the backdrop of a deadly Israeli onslaught on Gaza, which has killed nearly 38,700 people since last October, following an attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar