Israeli army claims it targeted 2 Hezbollah members in southern Lebanon

JERUSALEM

The Israeli army claimed on Thursday that it conducted airstrikes that targeted two Hezbollah operatives in southern Lebanon.

“Over the past few hours, IAF fighter jets struck several military structures in the area of Aitaroun in southern Lebanon,” according to a statement.

Israeli aircraft “struck two Hezbollah terrorists that were identified in the area of Aitaroun earlier today,” it added.

Hezbollah has not commented but the group had said earlier in the day that one of its members was killed in clashes with the Israeli army, bringing their total casualties to 330 since Oct. 8.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility earlier Thursday for attacking the headquarters of Israel's 91st Division at the Branit barracks and troop positions with rockets, allegedly destroying part of the facility.

In response, Israel intensified its shelling of villages and towns in southern Lebanon.

Lebanon’s official news agency reported that an Israeli drone targeted a motorcycle in the border town of Aitaroun, resulting in injuries.

It noted that Israeli warplanes targeted, with two air-to-surface missiles, the Jabal Kahil area in the same area.

Tension has flared along the border between Lebanon and Israel amid intermittent exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, in the deadliest clashes since the two sides fought a full-scale war in 2006.

The border tension comes amid an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 36,650 victims since a major attack by the Palestinian group, Hamas, on Oct. 7.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul