A senior Israeli officer was killed in a confrontation with militants on the frontier with Lebanon on Monday, Israel’s military has confirmed.
The military said that soldiers and aircraft killed two individuals who had crossed into Israeli territory, labeling them as “terrorist infiltrators.” Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed these individuals as their members.
Shortly after, the Israeli military responded by attacking targets in Lebanon in retaliation for mortar fire, resulting in the deaths of at least three militants from Lebanon’s Hezbollah group.
This marked the second consecutive day of attacks originating from Lebanon, happening concurrently with the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza.
The United States issued a warning to Hezbollah, which is Lebanon’s most potent military force and previously fought a war against Israel in 2006, cautioning against opening a second front in the current conflict.
The violence on Monday began when armed individuals crossed the border near the Lebanese town of Dhayra. Israeli troops, with the support of helicopter gunships, engaged and killed two of the militants, while one managed to escape back to Lebanon.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad stated that this infiltration was part of “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood,” a name used by the militant group Hamas for their extensive assault on southern Israeli communities that began on Saturday, reportedly resulting in at least 900 Israeli casualties.
The Israeli military also reported launching helicopter attacks on Hezbollah positions within Lebanon, including two observation posts, following the firing of two mortar bombs into Israel, which fortunately did not cause any casualties.
Hezbollah later confirmed that three of its fighters were killed due to Israeli attacks on Lebanese towns and villages. In response, the group fired rockets and mortar shells at two Israeli military barracks.
On the previous day, Hezbollah had fired shells and rockets at Israeli military positions in the disputed Shebaa Farms/Mount Dov area, describing it as an act of “solidarity with the Palestinian resistance.”
Hezbollah, backed by Iran and possessing long-range rockets capable of reaching deep into Israeli territory, had threatened to get involved in the Israel-Gaza conflict if specific “red lines” were crossed, including an Israeli invasion.
A high-ranking U.S. defense official expressed deep concern about Hezbollah potentially making the wrong decision and opening a second front in this conflict.
SOURCE:BBC