Israel-Hezbollah hostilities continue as group says to abide by truce

Border skirmishes continued Wednesday between Israel and Hezbollah, as a source from the Lebanese group said that Hezbollah will abide by a truce between Israel and Hamas that will begin on Thursday.

In the morning, Israeli warplanes bombed the outskirts of the southern Lebanese border towns of Naqoura, Majdal Zoun, Shihin, Yater, Siddiqin and Recheknanay.

Israeli artillery also targeted the outskirts of Aitaroun, Hamoul, Kfarkila, Blida, Mhaibib, Qlayaa and al-Hamames.

The Israeli army said its warplanes attacked several Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, including so-called military infrastructure and a military site where the group’s fighters allegedly operated.

Hezbollah meanwhile issued separate statements claiming an attack with two heavy-caliber Burkan rockets on Israeli forces near the al-Raheb post, an attack with two Burkan rockets on troops near the Zarit post and other attacks on the Yiftah barracks, the Bayyad Blida post, the Mitat post and the Ramia post. The group said the attacks achieved “direct hits.”

A Hezbollah source meanwhile told Al-Jazeera television that Hezbollah will abide by an extendable four-day truce between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip should Israel commit to it.

“We were not part of the negotiations related to the truce agreement and the exchange of captives between Hamas and Israel,” the source said.

“South Lebanon is a supportive front for the Gaza Strip and the halt of fighting there will entail Lebanon,” the source added, warning that “any Israeli escalation in south Lebanon or Gaza during the truce will be met with a response from Hezbollah.”

Eight people, including two journalists and two civilians, were killed Tuesday in south Lebanon by Israeli shelling.

Since the cross-border exchanges began on October 8, at least 100 people have been killed on the Lebanese side, according to an AFP tally, most of them Hezbollah combatants but including at least 14 civilians, three of them journalists.

On the Israeli side, six soldiers and three civilians have been killed, according to authorities.