A recent explosion near the Israeli-Lebanese border has left several Israeli soldiers injured, as confirmed by both the Israeli military and Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed group claiming responsibility for the attack.
Hezbollah, backed by Iran, announced on Monday that it had deployed explosive devices aimed at Israeli soldiers who had entered Lebanese territory. According to the group, these devices were planted in the Tel Ismail area in southern Lebanon, close to the border with Israel.
The detonation occurred as an Israeli patrol crossed into Lebanon, reaching the area where the explosives were planted. While Hezbollah claims casualties resulted from the blasts, they did not offer any proof.
An Israeli military official informed Reuters that four Israeli troops were wounded in the incident, which took place hundreds of meters inside Lebanese territory.
Confirming the occurrence within Lebanon, an Israeli army spokesperson informed the Agence France-Presse.
This marks Hezbollah's first claim of such an attack in over six months of ongoing cross-border confrontations with Israel, which intensified since the onset of Israel's conflict with Gaza.
Reporting from Naqoura in southern Lebanon, Al Jazeera's Ali Hashem described the attack as indicative of the volatile situation in the region. He noted that while such detonations have occurred previously, this blast was notably powerful.
The incident unfolds amidst heightened tensions following Iran's recent missile and drone assaults on Israel, retaliation for a fatal strike on Tehran's consulate in Damascus earlier in the month. Despite the violence, clashes between Israel and Hezbollah have primarily remained localized to the border region.
Since October 8, when Hezbollah initiated attacks on Israel in solidarity with Gaza, Israel has retaliated with nearly 4,000 strikes along the 120km border. These attacks have resulted in the deaths of over 295 Hezbollah fighters and other armed groups in Lebanon, as well as approximately 73 civilians, including children, medical personnel, and journalists.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), over 90,000 individuals have been displaced by the conflict in southern Lebanon. On the Israeli side, residents of 28 towns and villages within 2km of the border have been instructed to evacuate.
Hezbollah asserts that its military actions against Israel will persist until Israel ceases its assault on Gaza.
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