The funeral took place Saturday evening of a Hezbollah member and a 7-year-old child killed Friday in an Israeli strike in Aita al-Jabal (Bint Jbeil), southern Lebanon. In total, eight people were killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon on Friday: Seven Hezbollah fighters and one child.

The burials followed a less intense day of cross-border fire on Saturday between Israel and Hezbollah, with the Lebanese Health Ministry having reported no new deaths or injuries by 7 p.m. 

At 5:30 p.m. Saturday, the funerals for Hezbollah fighter Mohammad Mahmoud Najem, born in 1971, and 7-year-old Zulfikar Fadi Radwan were held in Aita al-Jabal. Both were killed when an Israeli drone strike hit a house and car near the village in the first attack targeting it since fighting began in south Lebanon on Oct. 8 in the aftermath of the outbreak of the Gaza war.

According to a L'Orient Today's photojournalist at the funeral, many people from the village and surrounding areas came to the funeral. The child's coffin, draped in white cloth, and that of the Hezbollah member were carried over a long distance amid a somber atmosphere. Although several sheikhs stationed in the region also attended the funeral, no high-profile Hezbollah officials or other personalities from the party were present.

Although no casualties were reported by 7 p.m. Saturday, exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and the Israeli army began early Saturday morning. Two salvos of rockets fired by Hezbollah targeted Kiryat Shmona, opposite Houla (Marjayoun), and Yaftah Bsaliyat, opposite the village of Blida (Marjayoun), while Israeli aircraft conducted overflights above several regions of the country. The first Israeli attack of the day was reported at around 7 a.m., with three shells fired by Israeli artillery at houses in the village of Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil). 

The remainder of the day saw periods of calm interspersed with exchanges of fire of varying intensity. Israel shelled the village of Taybeh (Marjayoun) and the surrounding areas of Aitaroun and Maroun al-Ras, according to sources contacted by our correspondent. Israel also fired what appeared to be phosphorus ammunition at Odaisseh (Marjayoun), according to other local testimonies, and Aita al-Shaab was again bombarded during the day.

Hezbollah claimed 10 operations during the day, which is in line with its usual average. In particular, the Israeli sites of Harmon, opposite the Lebanese village of Rmaish; Rahib, opposite Aita al-Shaab; and Hanita, opposite Alma al-Shaab (Sour), were targeted.

The party also announced the death of another of its members, Ibrahim Fadel, from the village of Touline (Marjayoun), who according to L'Orient Today's correspondent succumbed to wounds sustained in a previous attack.

Since the start of the conflict between Lebanon and Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, 430 Hezbollah members have been killed in Lebanon and Syria.

This article was originally published in French on L'Orient-Le Jour.