Scores flee Shebaa as border fighting escalate in southern Lebanon

By Stephane Radi

BEIRUT (AA) - Scores of residents from the town of Shebaa in the Nabatieh Governorate in southern Lebanon fled Saturday toward safe areas following intensified border fighting between Hezbollah and the Israeli army.

Lebanese and Syrian refugees left the town using their vehicles or rented vehicles, Anadolu reported.

Further information about the specific safe areas where the residents are heading has not been known

The displacement comes after an “ambush” carried out by Hezbollah fighters against the Israeli army at the Roueissat Al-Alam site Friday.​​​​​​​

Hezbollah announced that it executed military operations against an Israeli army site near Roueissat Al-Alam in the occupied Kfar Shouba hills in Lebanon, destroying two vehicles, while the Israeli army intensified airstrikes and artillery shelling on several villages and towns in southern Lebanon.

Earlier Saturday, the army announced the shelling of Hezbollah targets in Kafr Kila, Al-Rihan, Kfar Shouba, Shebaa and Alma Al-Shaab in southern Lebanon during the past night, while the Lebanese group targeted Israeli soldiers' positions in the western Shomera settlement.

Tensions have escalated along Lebanon’s border with Israel since the Israeli army launched a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, amid an exchange of cross-border fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in the deadliest clashes since the two sides had fought a full-scale war in 2006.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala