By Mohammed Al Ragawi
ISTANBUL (AA) - Hezbollah said on Saturday it launched rocket barrages towards Israeli army positions in the town of Khiam, Nabatieh governorate, southern Lebanon.
In a statement on Telegram, Hezbollah said its forces targeted the "enemy forces" with a "salvo of rockets," marking the fourth such attack of the day.
The group had issued three earlier statements reporting similar operations.
Separately, the Lebanese group said its fighters "targeted a Merkava tank with a guided missile on Saturday afternoon west of the town of Chama, resulting in its destruction and leaving its crew either dead or wounded."
Earlier in the day, the official Lebanese news agency said Israeli attacks on the border town have continued since Friday night into Saturday, with the Israeli army employing various types of weaponry in an attempt to seize control of the area.
Israeli forces also launched phosphorus shells on the nearby Jalahiya area.
The Lebanese news agency said the Israeli army’s operations in Khiam are not limited to ground incursions, but also involve planting explosives in certain buildings and demolishing them.
Khiam, about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) from the Blue Line separating Lebanon and Israel, is one of the three key towns in southern Lebanon that Israel has been attempting to seize over the past 10 days due to its strategic importance.
According to Lebanese military sources, Israel is focusing on three main axes in its ongoing ground campaign in southern Lebanon: Khiam, Bint Jbeil, and Chama.
Israel has engaged in cross-border warfare with Lebanon, launching an air campaign in late September against what it claims are Hezbollah targets.
Over 3,600 people have been killed by Israeli attacks in Lebanon, with more than 15,300 injured and over 1 million displaced since last October, according to Lebanese health authorities.
Tel Aviv expanded the conflict by launching a ground assault into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1.
*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala