Hezbollah strikes Israeli forces in southern Lebanon; two killed in Tebnine
Shafaq News- Beirut
Hezbollah launched a wave of drone and rocket attacks against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, citing Israeli violations of the ceasefire, while Israeli warplanes struck dozens of towns across the south, killing at least two people in Tebnine.
In a series of statements, Hezbollah said it targeted Israeli troop concentrations and military vehicles along the al-Bayyada–Naqoura road, claiming a direct hit on a Merkava tank and strikes on a D9 bulldozer. The group also deployed attack drones against Israeli positions near Barket al-Marj in Houla and Nahr Deir Seryan, and struck Israeli forces in Bint Jbeil with rockets and artillery shells.
Hezbollah said it targeted the command headquarters of the Israeli army's 300th Brigade with attack drones and fired a surface-to-air missile at an Israeli helicopter over al-Bayyada.
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The Israeli military acknowledged that Hezbollah fired mortar shells and explosive drones near its forces in the south, and its air force intercepted several of the incoming drones. It disputed the surface-to-air missile claim, saying the missile missed its target —an Israeli drone.
Israeli media reported sirens across Metula, Kfar Giladi, Kiryat Shmona, Nahariya, Ras al-Naqoura, and towns in western Galilee following suspected drone infiltrations. Channel 12 reported a fire in Ras al-Naqoura and interceptor fragments falling in two locations in Kiryat Shmona.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes hit dozens of villages across the south, including Harouf, Arab al-Jal, al-Zrariyeh, al-Bazouriyeh, al-Kharayeb, Tebnine, Beit Yahoun, and Kfar Tibnit. Lebanon's civil defense reported deaths and injuries in a “direct strike” on an ambulance center in Harouf. Lebanon's National News Agency confirmed two people were killed in Tebnine.
The Lebanese Health Ministry said the Israeli offensive has killed 2,951 people and wounded 8,988 others since March 2.
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The ground violence unfolded as a third round of direct talks between Israel and Lebanon got underway in Washington on Thursday, days before the expiration of a ceasefire. However, the two sides remain far apart. Lebanon has said it wants a complete ceasefire before negotiating any Israeli withdrawal, while Israeli officials have centered their position on Hezbollah's disarmament and described the talks as a precursor to potential normalization of diplomatic relations. Hezbollah is not a party to the negotiations and has vocally opposed Lebanon engaging in direct talks with Israel.
