A civilian was killed and two others were injured on Wednesday in an Israeli bombardment on the village of Khiam, in southern Lebanon, the scene of four months of firefights between the Israeli army and Hezbollah. A few hours later, a second series of attacks targeted the same village, but caused no casualties.
Since the day following the Hamas attack in Israel on October 7, which sparked the war in Gaza, Hezbollah has bombed Israeli army positions on the border, in support of the Palestinian Islamic movement. Israel responds by striking targets in southern Lebanon. On Wednesday, several border towns in addition to Khiam came under shelling, and an Israeli drone hit a water pumping station in the village of Wazzani, south of Khiam.
The Israeli army also shelled in the vicinity of the villages of Tayr Harfa and Dhaira, and in the outskirts of Marwahin, in the Tire district. Hezbollah said it had targeted several Israeli positions. The Shiite party also announced the death of two of its fighters, Mohammad Assili, originally from the village of Ansar and Hussein Chams, originally from Laboué.
Since October 8, 184 Hezbollah fighters have been killed so far in Lebanon and Syria. At the same time, the Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that since the start of the fighting until February 6, 171 people have died, 771 people have been injured, of which 146 are currently hospitalized, and 86.665 people have been displaced from their homes.
Furthermore, three fighters from the Shiite Amal movement, allied with Hezbollah and led by the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berry, killed on Monday in an Israeli bombing on the village of Bayt Lif, were buried on Wednesday.
On the Israeli side, according to the army, 15 people were killed. Tens of thousands of residents on both sides of the border have had to flee their homes since the violence began.
Israeli Foreign Minister Katz told his French counterpart Stéphane Séjourné on Monday that time is running out to find a diplomatic solution in southern Lebanon. If no other way out is possible, Israel will take military action to return citizens to their homes in the north of the country.
The Assembly of Maronite Bishops in Lebanon has warned against international and domestic attempts to impose a border agreement between Lebanon and Israel that does not contain clear international guarantees, adding such negotiations should take place in the presence of a Lebanese president who currently lacks.
AL
Photo: IDF
