ANKARA

Another Hezbollah fighter was killed in clashes with Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, the group said Saturday.

Hezbollah identified the slain fighter as Ali Nazih Abdul Ali, 40, from the town of Aitit in southern Lebanon.

The Israeli army said in a statement that it had killed Abdul Ali in the Bazourieh region of southern Lebanon, using air force aircraft.

At least 389 Hezbollah fighters have been killed since the outbreak of cross-border clashes with the Israeli army on Oct. 8, 2023, according to an Anadolu tally.

Fears have grown of a full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah amid a months-long exchange of cross-border fire.

The escalation comes against the backdrop of an Israeli onslaught on Gaza, which has killed nearly 40,000 people since last October, following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi