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

By Naim Berjawi

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

Hezbollah said in separate statements that its fighters had struck five gathering sites of Israeli soldiers near the border with southern Lebanon, resulting in direct hits.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said Israeli fighter jets carried out airstrikes in the towns of Ayta ash Shaab, Aitaroun and Yaroun.

An Israeli drone also launched a missile attack in the town of Kfar Kila in southern Lebanon.

No information was yet available about casualties.

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

The border tension came amid an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip that has killed nearly 29,000 people following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala