Lebanon’s Hezbollah trades cross-border attacks with Israel amid escalation

By Naim Berjawi

BEIRUT (AA) – Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israeli forces exchanged cross-border attacks on Tuesday amid a growing escalation between the two sides.

Hezbollah said its fighters attacked a gathering of Israeli soldiers with missiles at Malkia site in northern Israel.

The group said it also targeted Mleeta, Brannit and Talat al-Thiyahat posts in southern Lebanon with missiles and anti-tank shells, resulting in direct hits.

Separately, Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes on the border towns of Al-Adaisseh, Kfarkela, Rabb Thalathine, and Meiss al-Jabal, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported.

There were no reports yet of casualties or damage.

The Israeli army announced early Tuesday that it formed a new brigade along the Syrian-Lebanese border, indicating that it would start military operations in the coming weeks.

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

The escalation comes amid an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip that has killed nearly 31,800 Palestinians following a Hamas attack last Oct. 7.

At least 300 people are estimated to have been killed in Lebanon, including 240 Hezbollah fighters, since the clashes erupted last October. Nearly 20 Israelis have been killed, according to Israeli figures.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul