Israel attacks Lebanon after Hezbollah attacks Shebaa farms

Oct 8 (Reuters) – Israel fired artillery rounds into southern Lebanon on Sunday after Hezbollah attacked three Israeli military positions in the disputed Shebaa Farms.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Saturday, the most serious stroke in years by Palestinian gunmen in Israeli cities left at least 250 Israelis dead, and another 230 Gazans died in Israeli retaliatory bombings.

Hezbollaha powerful Iranian-backed armed party, said it had launched guided rockets and artillery at three outposts in Shebaa farms “in solidarity” with the Palestinian people.

The Israeli military said Sunday that it fired artillery at an area in Lebanon where cross-border mortar fire was launched. “The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) artillery is currently attacking the area in Lebanon from where the shooting took place,” he said.

The Israeli military said one of its drones attacked a Hezbollah outpost in the Har Dov area, an area in Shebaa.

“At this time, there are no further threats in Har Dov or the northern area,” IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said in televised remarks, adding that the army remained on high alert.

Israel has controlled the Shebaa Farms, a 39-square-kilometer (15-square-mile) piece of land, since 1967. Both Syria and Lebanon claim that the Shebaa Farms are Lebanese.

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, said it had “detected several rockets fired from southeastern Lebanon toward Israeli-occupied territory,” as well as artillery fire from Israel toward Lebanon in response. .

“We are in contact with the authorities on both sides of the Blue Line, at all levels, to contain the situation and avoid a more serious escalation,” said spokesperson Andrea Tenenti.

The Blue Line is the demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel and marks the location where Israeli forces withdrew when they left southern Lebanon in 2000.

On Saturday, UNIFIL said it had strengthened its presence in southern Lebanon following events in Israel and Gaza, including its operations to counter rocket fire.

The UN special coordinator for Lebanon, Joanna Wronecka, said on platform greatest conflagration”.

Hezbollah, which effectively controls southern Lebanon, said on Saturday that it was in “direct contact” with leaders of Palestinian “resistance” groups and that it viewed Palestinian attacks on Israel as a “decisive response to Israel’s continued occupation and a message to those who seek normalization”. with Israel”.

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