Five Israeli soldiers killed in southern Lebanon
While the world reacts to the apparent killing of Yahya Sinwar, the Israeli army has released a statement announcing the combat deaths of five of its soldiers in southern Lebanon.
The incident in which all five were killed, the army said, also saw the injury of three additional soldiers, one of whom was an officer. The army’s statement also mentions a total of nine other Israeli soldiers who were “seriously injured” in combat between southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
At least two killed in Israeli attack on eastern Lebanon: Ministry
An Israeli air raid on Yammoune, in the northwestern region of Baalbek, has killed at least two people and wounded nine others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Earlier today, Israel targeted several areas across eastern and southern Lebanon and the Israeli army issued new displacement orders.
According to a tally compiled by Al Jazeera, the Israeli army has over the past two weeks issued such orders for at least 233 villages – an area that the United Nations estimates covers a quarter of Lebanon’s territory.
A view shows a site damaged by an Israeli strike in Yammoune, in Baalbek district, Lebanon, Thursday, October 17
‘UNIFIL on Lebanon’s front line of peace’
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has sent a message of solidarity to UN peacekeeping forces in southern Lebanon after the Israeli army attacked their positions multiple times and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded their “temporary removal”.
“The men and women of UNIFIL are working to give our diplomatic efforts a fighting chance,” Guterres said.
“You are not just on the Blue Line in Lebanon, you are literally on the front line of peace,” he said, referring to the de facto border between Israel and Lebanon.
Israel has fired on several front-line positions held by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) since it launched a ground incursion into southern Lebanon in early October, claiming it aims to dismantle the infrastructure of Hezbollah.
Experts say Israel’s actions are meant to pressure the peacekeepers out of the country to have more control over the territory and less scrutiny over possible violations of international law.
Hezbollah’s ‘operations room’ releases new update. Here are the takeaways
In a statement attributed to its military “operations room”, the Lebanese group stresses that it is inflicting heavy losses on the Israeli army and fending off its ground advances in south Lebanon.
Hezbollah has been using such updates to underscore the recovery of its capabilities and structure after several of its top leaders, including its chief Hassan Nasrallah, were assassinated by Israel.
Here’s what the latest statement said:
- Israel has amassed more than 70,000 soldiers and hundreds of military vehicles at the front lines that are being confronted by hundreds of Hezbollah fighters, who are luring them into deadly ambushes.
- Hezbollah is gradually escalating its rocket and drone attacks against Israeli troops alongside the border as well as deep inside Israel.
- About 55 Israeli soldiers have been killed in clashes since the start of the invasion last month, while more than 500 others have been injured.
- Hezbollah has destroyed 20 Merkava tanks, four military bulldozers and two surveillance drones.
- “In accordance with the leadership of the resistance, the operations room announces moving to a new escalatory phase in the confrontation” that will become clear in the coming days.
Hezbollah says it targeted a group of Israeli soldiers
The group says it targeted Israeli soldiers with artillery shells after spotting them on the outskirts of the town of Kfar Kila in Lebanon. In a statement, it added that its forces bombed a gathering of Israeli soldiers on two occasions in the vicinity of the southern Lebanese village of Aita al-Shaab.
