BEIRUT, May 8 (Xinhua) -- A fierce exchange of fire took place between Hezbollah and the Israeli army on Wednesday along the Lebanon-Israel border, said Lebanese military sources.
From 1 a.m. to 1 p.m. local time (1000 GMT), Israeli warplanes launched 25 airstrikes on Hezbollah and civilian targets in nine border villages and towns in southern Lebanon, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
In addition, 15 raids were carried out against Hezbollah sites in Jezzine District and other sites in Bint Jbeil District, as well as several villages in the eastern sector of the border region, said the sources.
The sources added that another 10 Lebanese villages and towns in the eastern and central sectors of the border area were raided, including villages of Kfarhamam, Mays al-Jabal, Houla, Aita al-Shaab, and Yaroun.
Israeli artillery also bombed, with approximately 75 shells, 20 border villages and towns in southern Lebanon, they added.
The Israeli strikes destroyed 40 homes and damaged about 85 others in southern Lebanon.
According to the sources, about 80 surface-to-surface missiles and several drones were launched toward northern Israel, with some of them intercepted and others exploding in the airspace of southern Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah announced that its military wing, the Islamic Resistance, launched missile and drone attacks on several Israeli sites, resulting in casualties.
Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border escalated on Oct. 8, 2023, following a barrage of rockets launched by the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah toward Israel in solidarity with Hamas's attack on Israel the day before. Israel then retaliated by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon. ■
