Hezbollah Says Targeted Israeli Troops, Vehicles, Positions in Lebanon

(MENAFN) Hezbollah escalated military pressure on Israeli forces across southern Lebanon early Thursday, announcing 17 separate attacks and armed confrontations it described as direct retaliation for what it called persistent Israeli violations of an existing ceasefire.

In a series of operational statements, Hezbollah said its forces engaged Israeli troops, armored vehicles, and fixed military positions across multiple flashpoint zones — painting a picture of sustained, coordinated activity along the front line.

Among the strikes, Hezbollah said it unleashed a rocket barrage targeting Israeli troops observed moving from Bayyada toward Naqoura in the south. Drone sorties and rocket salvos were also directed at six separate gatherings of Israeli soldiers and military hardware, hitting sites in Qouzah, Srebbine, two positions in the Iskandariyya area, two additional locations in Bint Jbeil, the Blat military site, and newly deployed military equipment in Khiam.

In one of the most operationally significant claims of the day, Hezbollah said its fighters struck a Merkava tank with a guided missile on the outskirts of Kfar Kila in the Tal Nahas area, declaring a confirmed hit. A guided missile was also fired at an Israeli military vehicle in the Wadi al-Oyoun area, which the group said scored a "direct hit."

Drone operations extended further across the front, with Hezbollah claiming strikes on two tanks in Aitaroun and Houla, an armored personnel carrier in Bint Jbeil, a military vehicle in Rashaf, and a D9 bulldozer in Deir Siriane.

In a ground-level confrontation, the group said its fighters ambushed an Israeli force attempting to push from Rashaf toward Hadatha, deploying explosive devices alongside light and medium weapons and rocket fire to repel the advance.

Mounting Toll as Ceasefire Frays
The flurry of attacks underscores the increasingly fragile state of a ceasefire announced on April 17 and subsequently extended through May 17 — an agreement that has done little to halt the daily rhythm of strikes and counter-strikes on the ground.

Since March 2, Lebanese officials report that Israeli military operations in Lebanon have claimed more than 2,840 lives, left over 8,690 wounded, and displaced upward of 1.6 million people — roughly one in five of the country's total population.

The Israeli army has continued launching daily strikes into Lebanese territory while sustaining ongoing exchanges of fire with Hezbollah, even as both sides nominally remain bound by the ceasefire framework.

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