Israeli shelling kills 3 Hezbollah, 2 other fighters in Lebanon

By Stephanie Radi

BEIRUT (AA) - Five more fighters from Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad were killed Tuesday from Israeli shelling in southern Lebanon, the groups confirmed.

In a statement, Hezbollah mourned the loss of three of its fighters, saying they were killed "on the road to Jerusalem," referring to the Palestinian struggle for freedom.

With the latest casualties, the death toll of Hezbollah fighters killed since October has risen to 193.

The Islamic Jihad also confirmed the killing of two of its fighters, who it said were on a mission to southern Lebanon.

Israeli army started shelling the towns of Tayr Harfa, Aita al-Shaab, Ramyeh and others on the outskirts.

Tension has flared along the border between Lebanon and Israel amid intermittent exchange of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, in the deadliest clashes since the two sides fought a full-scale war in 2006.

The border tension comes amid an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 Israelis. The Israeli army has since killed more than 28,000 people and injured two times as many.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in an interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara