Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Israel trade cross-border fire amid growing tensions

By Wassim Saifuldine

BEIRUT (AA) – Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israeli forces exchanged cross-border fire on Thursday amid growing tensions between the two sides.

In a statement, Hezbollah said that its fighters had targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers at Jal Al-Alam site with artillery shells, resulting in direct hits.

Israeli artillery shelling, meanwhile, targeted the outskirts of Naqoura city in southern Lebanon, the state-run National News Agency reported.

Israeli forces also opened artillery fire towards the town of Ayta ash Shab in southern Lebanon.

There have been no reports yet of casualties or damage.

Thursday’s attacks came one day after two people were killed and 14 others injured in Israeli airstrikes near the town of Seddiqine in southern Lebanon.

Tension has flared along the border between Lebanon and Israel since October of last year 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.

At least 300 people, including 45 civilians and 219 Hezbollah members, have since been killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon, according to local media. In Israel, at least 11 people have been killed, including 11 soldiers, in attacks from Lebanon, Israeli figures showed.