Israeli airstrike kills 3 Hezbollah fighters in northeast Lebanon

Shafaq News / An Israeli airstrike killed three Hezbollah fighters in northeast Lebanon on Monday.

According to a military source cited by AFP, the attack involved nine missiles targeting an oil tanker convoy and a building in the locality of Housh al-Sayyed Ali in Hermel district, which was completely destroyed. The strike also left three individuals wounded.

Earlier in the day, Hezbollah reported that its air defenses had downed an Israeli attack drone over southern Lebanon. The Israeli military confirmed the loss of one of its drones, stating, "A surface-to-air missile was fired at an Israeli Air Force drone operating in Lebanese airspace. Consequently, the drone was damaged and crashed in Lebanese territory."

Hezbollah identified the downed drone as a Hermes 900, an Israeli-made reconnaissance and attack UAV.

The southern Lebanese border has witnessed escalating hostilities over the past week, with both the Israeli military and Hezbollah targeting sites beyond the immediate border region, where the majority of skirmishes have historically occurred.

On Monday, Hezbollah announced it had attacked an Israeli military site in the Golan Heights with a "swarm of kamikaze drones." The Israeli military reported detecting two drones crossing from Lebanon into northern Israel before they crashed in the northern part of the Golan Heights.

In response, Israeli fighter jets struck two Hezbollah military buildings and a launch site in the southern Lebanese areas of Aitaroun and Ayta ash Shab.

Since October 7, Hezbollah has been deeply involved in intense, near-daily cross-border fighting with Israel.

Approximately 300 Hezbollah members have been killed in Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon during this period.

The group mourns its members killed by Israel under the slogan: "on the path to Jerusalem," in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, of whom 37,658 have been killed in the Israeli aggression launched there.

In retaliation, Hezbollah has launched heavy missile attacks on Israel, resulting in casualties among soldiers, the destruction of hundreds of military telecommunication towers, and the downing of drones.

Israel, however, remains highly secretive about its losses, but reports indicate that northern settlements are empty of residents, who have either fled or sought refuge in shelters.

There is significant internal Israeli conflict over the escalating tensions with Hezbollah, particularly given the group's substantial arsenal, which Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah claims includes up to 100,000 missiles capable of reaching Tel Aviv.