By Stephanie Radi
BEIRUT (AA) - Lebanese group Hezbollah on Wednesday announced that it has targeted an Israeli military site with missiles near the southern border area of Dhayra.
In a statement, the group affirmed its commitment to delivering a “decisive response” to Israeli aggression against Lebanon.
State-run National News Agency, citing the statement, reported: “This targeting is a firm response to the Zionist attacks that occurred last Monday, resulting in the loss of some of our members.”
The statement continued: “The Islamic Resistance fighters (referring to Hezbollah) launched missiles that precisely struck the Jaradah site near the Dhayra area. This attack caused significant confirmed casualties among the Israeli forces, resulting in both fatalities and injuries.”
Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli military retaliated by firing artillery shells toward southern Lebanon shortly after two rockets were launched from Lebanese territory toward northern Israeli towns.
In an official statement, the Israeli military announced: "We are currently conducting an operation within Lebanese territory in response to the firing of an anti-tank missile directed at one of our positions."
Three people were injured on Wednesday as a result of Israeli bombardment on border villages and towns in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA).
"The morning Israeli attacks on border villages and towns in the western sector caused significant damage to property and agricultural fields," NNA reported.
"Three people were injured in the town of Marwahin, in addition to about 10 houses being directly hit," the news agency said.
“The main tank that supplies water to the village of Yarine was also targeted,” according to the same source.
On Tuesday, Hezbollah claimed to have targeted an Israeli Mirkava tank with two guided missiles at the Sadah site west of the town of Salha (Avivim), leading to a direct hit and the complete destruction of the tank.
The Israeli military, in response, stated that an anti-tank missile had been launched from Lebanese territory, targeting one of its military vehicles in the "Avivim" area in the north of the country. Subsequently, they shelled a military point affiliated with "Hezbollah."
On the same day, Hezbollah mourned the loss of three of its members who were killed during an Israeli shelling on Monday in border areas in southern Lebanon.
This escalation on the northern Israeli front has prompted international concerns about the widening of hostilities on the Lebanese-Israeli front.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the international peacekeeping force, urged Lebanon and Israel to exercise restraint amid fears that the skirmishes between the two sides could escalate to war.
“We always communicate with the Lebanese and Israeli authorities on both sides of the Blue Line, and we call for restraint,” the force said in a statement.
In a dramatic escalation of Mideast tensions, Israeli forces have launched a sustained and forceful military campaign against the Gaza Strip, a response to a military offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas in Israeli territories. The conflict began when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel, a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea, and air, which Hamas said was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians.
In response to Hamas' actions, the Israeli military launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip. Israel's response has extended into cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, further worsening the living conditions in an area that has reeled under a crippling siege since 2007.
*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala