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RECAP: A volcanic Sunday between Israel and Hezbollah - Strike south of Haifa, captured Hezbollah fighter, UNIFIL targeted

Three Lebanese soldiers were injured by an Israeli drone strike in the South while they were clearing a road.

RECAP: A volcanic Sunday between Israel and Hezbollah - Strike south of Haifa, captured Hezbollah fighter, UNIFIL targeted

Rescuers inspect the damage at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the southern Lebanese village of Hanouiyeh on October 13, 2024, amid the continuing war between Israel and Hezbollah. (Credit: Bilal KASHMAR / AFP)

A new Sunday unfolded under extreme tension between Israel and Hezbollah, marked by close combat in southern Lebanon, where the Israeli army intensified its airstrikes against the Iran-backed group.

Hezbollah reported fighting in the late afternoon "with automatic weapons" and "rockets" against Israeli soldiers in at least four border villages, while the Israeli army indicated "face-to-face combat" and "injured soldiers" within its ranks.

Another significant event stood out: a major drone attack on the military base in Binyamina, south of Haifa, northern Israel, which resulted in at least 67 injuries, according to initial confirmed reports. Some media outlets reported fatalities, but this had not been confirmed at the time of publication.

Hezbollah quickly claimed responsibility for the attack, stating it targeted a training camp of the Golani Brigade, one of the units participating in the Israeli ground offensive launched at the end of September in southern Lebanon. On X (formerly Twitter), several accounts relayed unconfirmed information suggesting that Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi was targeted in this attack.

This operation is likely the most significant launched by the Shiite party against Israel since the beginning of its confrontations following the outbreak of the Gaza war. It occurred shortly after Hezbollah released a recorded message from its late Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, who was assassinated by Israel in a massive strike on a residential neighborhood in southern Beirut on September 27. This was an old message of encouragement from Nasrallah. About two minutes long it was aimed at Hezbollah fighters, featuring footage of battlefield scenes that highlighted the resilience and determination of group members in the face of current challenges.

"We rely on your presence, your faith, and your jihad to defend your people, your homeland, your values, and your honor," was one notable message from the late Hezbollah leader.

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Hezbollah fighter captured and UNIFIL incidents

During the day, three other significant events emerged from the ground.

The Israeli army announced it had captured a "Hezbollah member" in southern Lebanon. "During an operation in southern Lebanon, a tunnel was located beneath a building, leading to a habitable area for terrorists," the Israeli army stated on X.

"Soldiers surrounded the building and explored the tunnel, reaching an underground complex located about seven meters deep. The underground space was approximately 50 square meters. A Hezbollah member was there, along with weapons and supplies for a prolonged stay," it continued. This fighter "surrendered and was arrested." The Israeli army "interrogated him on site before taking him to a detention center" in Israel. Hezbollah has not yet commented on this capture.

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Israeli army says it has captured a Hezbollah fighter in southern Lebanon

The second event: the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported several "serious violations" by the Israeli army against peacekeepers and requested explanations. "Early this morning, peacekeepers at a UN position in Ramiyé (Bint Jbeil district) observed three Israeli soldier platoons crossing the Blue Line into Lebanon. At 4:30 AM, while the peacekeepers were in shelters, two Merkava tanks destroyed the main gate of the position and forcibly entered. They repeatedly requested that the base turn off the lights," UNIFIL's statement detailed.

"At 6:40 AM, the peacekeepers in the area reported multiple shells fired 100 meters to the north, generating thick smoke. Fifteen UNIFIL soldiers suffered skin irritations and gastrointestinal reactions after smoke entered the camp," the text continued, noting that the injured soldiers were receiving treatment. UNIFIL also accused Israeli soldiers of blocking access to a "critical logistical convoy" for peacekeepers in Meis el-Jabal (Bint Jbeil) on Saturday.

The Israeli army briefly defended itself, stating that its tanks were fleeing Hezbollah fire and attempting to recover the wounded, adding that the smoke from the second incident was not toxic. Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, stated that it was "incomprehensible" that the UN did not relocate peacekeepers from southern Lebanon areas and assured that the mentioned incidents were under investigation. On the same day, the Israeli Prime Minister called for UNIFIL's withdrawal from southern Lebanon, which was immediately condemned by outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

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The third incident involved the Lebanese army, which accused the Israeli army, in a statement circulated late afternoon on social media, of targeting two military vehicles on Sunday in the locality of Burj al-Moulouk, in the Marjayoun district of southern Lebanon. These vehicles were transporting a bulldozer intended for repairing roads damaged by airstrikes, the army clarified, adding that the attack injured three soldiers. Two days earlier, three Lebanese soldiers were killed by Israeli strikes in the South. Another had been killed on October 3, also by Israeli fire.

16 Deaths in Keserwen  

Among other critical news of the day, the final toll of the Israeli strike on a residential building in the village of Maaysara, in keserwen, on Saturday, was published by the Ministry of Health. It reported 16 dead and 21 injured in this part of Lebanon, which had been relatively spared from bombardments since October 8, 2023. The death toll has rapidly increased since the intensification of clashes between Hezbollah and Israel, with nearly 2,300 killed, while 1.4 million people have fled the fighting.

Saudi Arabia sent its first aid-filled plane today, while Qatar awaits its fourth on Monday. Mikati traveled to Jordan on Sunday to advocate for the Lebanese issue.

In Israel, before the Haifa attack, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant committed to preventing Hezbollah from regaining its combat positions along the Lebanese border, even after the Israeli army's withdrawal, while former Israeli Minister Benny Gantz stated that "the ground operation in Lebanon must continue and expand until the residents of the north can return home and no longer need to be evacuated." Both men spoke during a visit to Israeli army positions in the north of the country.

A new Sunday unfolded under extreme tension between Israel and Hezbollah, marked by close combat in southern Lebanon, where the Israeli army intensified its airstrikes against the Iran-backed group. Hezbollah reported fighting in the late afternoon "with automatic weapons" and "rockets" against Israeli soldiers in at least four border villages, while the Israeli army indicated "face-to-face...