UPDATE - Many injured as Israeli army intensifies shelling of southern Lebanon

UPDATES WITH PHOSPHORUS SHELLING, HEZBOLLAH STATEMENTS; REVISES THROUGHOUT

By Wassim Seifeddine

BEIRUT (AA) — The Israeli army intensified its bombardment of several areas in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, resulting in a number of injuries, the Lebanese National News Agency reported.

Israeli forces targeted multiple locations in southern Lebanon with white phosphorus, an internationally prohibited substance, leading to injuries, according to the agency.

It added that Israel shelled the town of Kfarkela and the outskirts of the town of Odaisseh in southern Lebanon using phosphorus munitions.

Earlier in the day, the agency said that “an Israeli drone targeted a car in the town of al-Wazzani, and the driver narrowly escaped death by jumping out of the car,” the Lebanese agency said.

It noted that the Israeli warplanes "escalated their airstrikes, targeting the town of al-Khiam twice."

The agency further reported that the Israeli warplanes "also raided the town of Yaroun in the district of Bint Jbeil in the morning, resulting in injuries."

Earlier, the agency reported that "the Israeli army fired volleys of gunfire at the border town of Kfarkela from its positions in the Metula settlement with machine guns.”

It said that "Israeli artillery targeted the town of Kfar Kila and the area of Houra between Kfarkela and Deir Mimas, as well as the town of al-Khiam and the plain of Marjaayoun."

For its part, Hezbollah issued a statement confirming that its forces targeted the headquarters of the Israeli Eastern Brigade 769 of the 91st Division in the northern Kiryat Shmona area with dozens of Katyusha rockets and artillery shells.

The group announced in later statement that its forces successfully targeted and destroyed espionage equipment at the site of Mutela.

Hezbollah had previously declared that its forces had conducted a drone attack against Israeli soldiers and positions in the Metula settlement.

Tensions have risen along Lebanon's border with Israel amid cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israeli forces as Tel Aviv presses ahead with its deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed nearly 37,400 people since last October following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala and Mohammad Sio in Istanbul