The coffins of the victims of an Israeli air raid in the village of Saksakieh, in the district of Saida in South Lebanon, wrapped in Hezbollah flags at a funeral held on Nov. 13, 2024. Photo sent by Mountasser Abdallah.
Clashes can be heard along various sectors of the Blue Line in southern Lebanon as firefights between Hezbollah and an Israeli force attempting to infiltrate the area continue, our correspondent in South Lebanon reported Thursday. Explosions were also heard.
The fighting is taking place on the outskirts of the towns of Aitaroun and Ainata, both south of Bint Jbeil, as well as along the Qawzah-Beit Lif area, also in the Bint Jbeil district, to block an Israeli force from advancing toward the strategic Beit Lif valley.
The Israeli army is trying to advance in southern Lebanon following Israel's announcement Wednesday of an expansion in its ground operations, according to Defense Minister Israel Katz. Katz did not specify when the decision to expand operations was made or provide details on the scope of this expansion.
"We won’t ease the pressure"
The Israeli ground offensive in South Lebanon began on Sept. 30, a week after intense fighting with Hezbollah escalated. "We have expanded the ground maneuver in South Lebanon and are conducting operations against Hezbollah targets in the southern suburbs of Beirut and wherever necessary," Katz told soldiers during his first visit to Israel’s Northern Command.
"We won’t ease the pressure," Katz added, saying that Israel "will not accept any agreement that does not ensure Hezbollah’s disarmament and its retreat beyond the Litani River, and above all, Israel’s right… to act against any terrorist activity or organization."
Earlier Thursday, Hezbollah announced it had targeted gatherings of Israeli soldiers in Markaba and Houla (in the Marjayoun district). Overnight, Hezbollah claimed to have thwarted Israeli infiltration attempts at Bint Jbeil and Maroun al-Ras (in the Bint Jbeil district). This marks the first time Hezbollah has claimed an attack on Israeli positions around Bint Jbeil. To carry out the operation, the group said it used a Nasr-1 precision-guided missile—a first in the conflict with Israeli forces on Lebanese territory.
