A picture of a 3-floor building that was destroyed by an Israeli bombardment in the south Lebanon border village of Kfar Kila, January 9, 2024. (Courtesy of Muntasser Abdallah)
BEIRUT — On Tuesday, three Hezbollah members were killed in an Israeli drone strike on a car in the southern Lebanese village of Ghandouriyeh (Bint Jbeil), a Hezbollah spokesperson confirmed to L'Orient Today. Another Hezbollah fighter was killed on the same day in an Israeli strike on Khirbet Silm, according to a statement from the party.
The head of the municipality of Ghandouriyyeh Khodor Nader told L'Orient Today that several drones struck the car with several missiles on the main road in the village. He said that three passengers of the car were killed and one was injured - which was also confirmed by the Civil Defense, who were there on the ground. He added that a state of fear prevailed in the village after the strike and that schools were evacuated.
Another Hezbollah fighter was later pronounced dead, according to a statement by Hezbollah. He was killed by an Israeli strike on Khirbet Silm.
158 Hezbollah members have been killed in Lebanon and Syria, according to our count, since the start of fighting on Oct. 8.
Attacks by Hezbollah into northern Israel
Hezbollah announced several attacks on Tuesday including one that they said was in retaliation to the assassination of Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri and one of the party's commanders Wissam al-Tawil. They targeted an Israeli "military commanders base" in the Israeli city of Safed with suicide drones. Yesterday Tawil was assassinated in a drone strike in the south Lebanon non-border village of Kherbeh. Last week, Arouri was killed along with other Hamas and Jamaa Islamiyya members in the Hezbollah stronghold area of the southern suburbs of Beirut.
On Tuesday the Israeli army continued to bombard several southern Lebanon border villages.
Israeli jets launched missiles and shot machine guns toward the outskirts of the town of Kfar Kila. According to residents of the town, one of the strikes destroyed a three-story house in Kfar Kila. No injuries were reported.
This morning Israel's army shelled the outskirts of Aitaroun, Aita al-Shaab, Yaroun, Maroun al-Ras, according to local residents. Residents told L'Orient Today Houla and Mais al-Jabal have also been targeted.
Border southern Lebanese villages have been experiencing near daily exchanges of fire between the Israeli army and Hezbollah since the beginning of the war on Gaza, following Hamas' assault against Israel on Oct. 7.