Israel and Hezbollah exchanged heavy fire along the Lebanese border on Saturday afternoon, marking the latest escalation in violence following last weekend's unprecedented attack on Israel by the Gaza-based Hamas militant group.
“Those who have been oppressed have been given the right to fight back,” Lebanon's powerful Shiite militia said in a statement.
Hezbollah said that it launched attacks on multiple Israeli bases in Shebaa Farms and the Kafr Shuba Hills, using mortars and guided missiles.
The Iran-backed militia also declared the destruction of an Israeli radar site.
Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that five Israelis have been wounded by the mortar shelling, including one who is in critical condition.
This comes amid growing concerns that the Israel-Gaza war might spill over into Lebanon.
Israel’s military said that it launched strikes into Lebanon in response to Hezbollah's attack.
“Approximately 30 mortar shells were identified as being fired towards Israeli territory, with some of them crossing into our territory. In response, the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) targeted the sources of the fire and continues to strike within Lebanese territory at this time, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The Israeli army said that they launched aircraft strikes against a group that tried to infiltrate Israel from the Lebanese border during the mortar shelling.
The Shebaa Farms are disputed between Lebanon and Israel. The area was captured by Israel in 1967 from Syria, but Lebanon claims that both the Shebaa Farms and the adjacent Kfar Shuba hills should be recognised as part of its territory.
New infiltration attempts
Earlier on Saturday, Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said the military had stopped an attempt to by a group to breach the Israeli border from Lebanon.
A Lebanese security source told The National that the incident seemed to have been an infiltration attempt.
“We heard sounds in the Houla area [in south-east Lebanon]. We don’t know if it was a plane or a drone,” the source said, without indicating who the suspects might have been.
Some Palestinian groups also operate in southern Lebanon.
A Hezbollah spokesman said the infiltrators were not its fighters.
As the skirmishes continued on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said the decision to open a new front in South Lebanon rests with Hezbollah.
“It is up to the Resistance [Hezbollah] to decide whether to open a new front or respond to a crime. They set the conditions they desire,” Mr Amirabdollahian said at a press conference at the Iranian Embassy in Beirut.
“The security of Lebanon matters to everyone, including Iran. Opening a new front is possible, depending on the circumstances,” he added.
“The Lebanese government bears responsibility for every attack launched from Lebanon towards our sovereignty,” Israeli army spokesman Mr Adraee said on X, formerly Twitter. “Anyone who tries to cross the border into our lands will be killed.”
The Lebanese government previously said it did not want Lebanon to be dragged into the conflict, while condemning the Israeli attacks in Gaza.
German airline Lufthansa said it is suspending its flights to Beirut until October 16, AFP reported.
Source: The National
BDST: 2150 HRS, OCT 14, 2023
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