Three killed, two wounded in Israeli strike on Blida

Three people were killed Tuesday and two others were wounded in an Israeli airstrike on the southern border town of Blida, the Health Ministry said.

An Israeli drone also raided the al-Litani river in Zawtar el-Gharbeye.

Israeli artillery had earlier shelled the southern border towns of Alma al-Shaab and Yarine, while drones targeted areas in the outskirts of al-Mansouri, Majdal Zoun and al-Qlayleh.

In retaliation to the deadly strike on Blida, Hezbollah attacked with an array of suicide drones a command center in the Ramot Naftali barracks.

Hezbollah also targeted Tuesday Israeli soldiers in al-Abbad post, and buildings used by soldiers in Menara in northern Israel, in response to Israeli attacks on south Lebanon. The group later targeted al-Raheb post, soldiers in the Karantina Hill and artillery positions in al-Zaoura.

Israel announced Tuesday the expansion of its war aims, widening its nearly year-long fight against Hamas in Gaza to focus on Hezbollah along its northern border with Lebanon.

The announcement came with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken due back in the region this week to try to revive stalled ceasefire talks for the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

While the focus of the war has been on Gaza, the unabating exchanges of fire between Israeli troops and Hezbollah have forced tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border to flee their homes.

Not formally declared as a war, the exchanges of fire between Israeli troops and Hezbollah have killed hundreds of mostly fighters in Lebanon, and dozens of civilians and soldiers on the Israeli side.

The Israeli announcement came a day after Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said "military action" was the "only way left to ensure the return of Israel's northern communities".