Israeli strikes in south kill 5 fighters from Hezbollah, Amal
Israeli artillery shelled Friday the outskirts of al-Labbouneh, Rashaya al-Fokhar, al-Fardees and al-Hebbariyeh, while Hezbollah attacked several posts in northern Israel, including the Malkia post.
Israeli warplanes had targeted overnight five villages in southern Lebanon including al-Qantara, al-Taybeh, and Blida, killing five fighters from Hezbollah and the allied Amal movement.
Hezbollah announced the death of two of its fighters "on the road to Jerusalem" -- the phrase used for fighters killed by Israel. Amal also announced Friday the death of three fighters killed in the strike overnight on a house in al-Qantara village, bringing to 12 the number of Hezbollah and Amal fighters killed since Wednesday.
Since October 8, at least eight Amal fighters have been announced dead. One on November 11 in an Israeli drone strike in the South, two in an Israeli airstrike earlier this month on the southern border town of Blida, two on Sunday and three in al-Qantara overnight. The group also mourned Hussein Berjawi - who had been killed with his daughters, his sister and his grandson in a strike Wednesday on the city of Nabatiyeh - as one of its members.
On Thursday, Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets into northern Israel, a day after Israeli strikes killed 15 people, including one of its commanders, and 10 civilians including Berjawi and his family in the bloodiest day for Lebanon since October 8.
Hezbollah and its arch-foe Israel have been exchanging near-daily fire across the border since the Israel-Hamas war broke out on October 7.
The United Nations secretary-general's spokesman called on Wednesday for a halt to dangerous "recent escalation", which also sparked concern from the United States.
The cross-border exchanges have killed at least 268 people on the Lebanese side, most of them Hezbollah fighters but also 40 civilians, according to an AFP tally.
On the Israeli side, 10 soldiers and six civilians have been killed, according to the Israeli army.
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Yesterday: Tarek Mroueh, 35, who works in a pharmaceutical company, expressed shock at the sudden violence that rocked his neighborhood in Nabatiyeh.
He said he initially thought a Hezbollah member's house might have been targeted.
"But then we learnt that it was Hussein Berjawi's building. He's a civilian, not affiliated with any political party," Mroueh said.
Today: Amal also mourned Hussein Berjawi - who had been killed with his daughters, his sister and his grandson in a strike Wednesday on the city of Nabatiyeh - as one of its members.
