BEIRUT: Two people were killed — one a civilian and the other, according to the Israeli military, the head of the Iran-backed Hezbollah anti-tank missile group — and seven others were wounded on Wednesday. The war between the Israelis was renewed in several cities in the south of Lebanon.
An Israeli drone targeted a motorcycle in the town of Jouaiyya at noon, hitting a passing car and injuring its occupants.
The emergency operations center of the Ministry of Health reported that two people were killed, Hezbollah member Hassan Fares Jeshi and a civilian named Mohammed Hassan Shoumar, while four others were injured.
The Israeli army said: “Hassan Fares is the commander of Hezbollah's anti-tank missile unit.”
Israeli shelling and airstrikes continued on border towns known for their loyalty to Hezbollah. These attacks hit the towns of Blida, Tayr Harfa, Khiam, Jebbayn, Chihine, Majdelyoun, Naqoura, Zibqin, Chaqra, Baraachit, Halta, Kounine, Mhaibib, and Kfarkela.
The emergency operations center said that “phosphorus shelling targeted the town of Shebaa, causing a civilian to suffocate and require hospitalization.”
Hezbollah responded by targeting “Raheb site and Jal Al-Alam site with artillery, and Malikiyah site with weapons.”
Israeli warplanes destroyed sound barriers for the second day in a row over Beirut.
Lebanon's National News Agency reported that Israeli planes did the same in two waves over the cities of Sidon and Jezzine, and several areas in the south of the country, with activists on social media sharing the pictures of the planes that violated the Lebanese airspace.
Residents of Beirut and dozens of towns in the Mount Lebanon region were in panic on Tuesday as Israeli warplanes breached a barrier in a low-lying hill, setting off loud explosions.
Border villages along the Blue Line in the western and central regions were hit by tension for hours as Israeli forces opened fire, while Hezbollah carried out nine operations against Israeli military positions.
Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech on Tuesday that the response to last week's killing of popular army chief Fuad Shukr was “inevitable”.
Israel is also anticipating Hezbollah and Iran's response to the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran hours after Shukr's death in southern Beirut.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said: “The Israeli army is constantly developing its defensive and offensive capabilities.”
Meanwhile, leaflets were dropped on Wednesday in Druze areas, especially in the Choueifat region, with pictures of children who were killed in the Majdal Shams attack in the occupied Golan. 12 people. They said: “We will answer them, Hezbollah.”
Israel has accused Hezbollah of attacking the football stadium in Majdal Shams, but Hezbollah strongly denies responsibility for the attack, while Walid Jumblatt, the leader of the Lebanese Druze.
