Hezbollah clashed with Israeli troops this morning for the first time since Tel Aviv announced yesterday morning that it had begun a ground invasion in southern Lebanon. Israeli soldiers were said to have been forced to retreat.
Hezbollah announced that it confronted and clashed with an Israeli force that tried to infiltrate into the town of al-Adiseh in the Merc Uyun district of the Nabatiya province in southern Lebanon, forcing it to retreat by inflicting casualties.
Despite the announcements of the start of the invasion yesterday, no ground attack by Israeli forces was observed throughout the day, while Hezbollah denied Tel Aviv’s claims, stressing that there were no direct clashes between the Israeli army and Hezbollah members in southern Lebanon.
On the other hand, Hezbollah announced that the military group at the Shumira barracks on the border with northern Israel had been directly targeted with a series of rockets.
The organisation also said in a statement that a large Israeli infantry unit in the Jewish settlement of Misgav Am on the Lebanese border was hit by rockets and artillery shells.
It also said that the settlement of Shtula, near the Lebanese border, was targeted by two Burkan rockets.
The Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot reported that sirens sounded in the Upper Galilee region of northern Israel and that rockets fired from Lebanon fell in an open area.
Another Hezbollah statement said a group of Israeli soldiers and artillery positions in the Kiryat Shimona settlement near the Lebanese border had been hit by a series of rockets.
Israel says it will attack 24 towns
The Israeli army has announced it will attack 24 towns in southern Lebanon, warning residents to move north of the Avali River.
Israeli army spokesman Avichai Adraee, in a statement on his X account, announced the areas where the attacks will be organised and said: “For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and move north of the Avali River. Save your lives,” he said.
Adraee announced the areas where the attacks will be organised as Al-Bayada, Buyut es-Siyad, Er-Rashidiye, Mashuk, Al-Bes, Shubriha, Teyr Dibbe, Al-Bughuliye, Muhayyem al-Qasimiye, Nebi Qasim, Burj Rihal, al-Abbasiya, Muareke, Ain al-Baal, Mahrune, Bafliye, Deir Kifa, Sarifa, Arzoun, Dergheghiya, Dahr Bariye Jabir, Jabal al-Ades, Shuhur and Burj al-Shimali.
Andraee warned residents of the area not to travel south and urged Lebanese civilians to move north of the Avali River, claiming that Hezbollah would carry out attacks on military targets.
“We will let you know when it is safe for you to return to your homes,” Andraee said about the return of Lebanese civilians to their homes.
Israel’s attacks on Lebanon kill 1328 people
On 23 September, the Israeli army, which has been engaged in controlled clashes with Hezbollah since 8 October, carried out hundreds of air strikes on southern Lebanese cities, as well as in the Bekaa and Baalbek regions.
According to the Lebanese authorities, a total of 1328 people, including 104 children and 194 women, have been killed since 17 September, when Hezbollah communication devices were detonated.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in Israeli air strikes on Beirut on 27 September. Hezbollah responded with rockets and missiles against Israel.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been internally displaced by the Israeli bombardment. While the wave of migration from the south of the country to the capital Beirut and the north continues, tens of thousands of people are reported to have crossed into Syria.
