Mapped out: The villages-turned battlegrounds between Hezbollah and Israeli troops in southern Lebanon

Following Israel's decision to expand a "buffer zone" as far up from the border as the Litani River, the Israeli army has deepened its ground advances into southern Lebanon.

Overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, as well as in recent hours, Israeli troops were embroiled in fierce clashes with Hezbollah fighters, particularly in the areas of Qantara and Deir Siryan — two localities near Taybeh that were recently occupied by the Israelis.

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A closer look at Israel’s Golani Brigade and its current operations in southern Lebanon

During fighting along this axis, located in the eastern part of the border strip in the district of Marjayoun, Hezbollah claimed to have destroyed about twenty Merkava tanks. It also said it forced an Israeli army helicopter to turn back as it came to evacuate the wounded.

For its part, the Israeli army announced that a soldier from the Golani Brigade had been killed, with several others in its ranks wounded, as well as around fifteen soldiers suffering from hypothermia.

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Israel pushes ground offensive toward Qantara, Deir Siryan, at least 8 killed in south Lebanon

Additionally, the Israeli army advanced in the area of Qouzah (Bint Jbeil), where Hezbollah also claims to have attacked soldiers.

En carte : les villages du Liban-Sud théâtres de combats au sol, ces dernières heures, entre le Hezbollah et l'armée israélienne