Israel has reported it has killed two members of Hezbollah, whom they labeled “significant terrorists” during overnight and morning attacks in southern Lebanon.
The more noteworthy man was identified as Mohammad Khalil Atiyeh, a senior member of the Radwan Force, who was killed overnight in attacks on buildings in Arzoun and Odaisseh.
The other man was not named, but was reported to be an engineer working for Hezbollah as part of their rocket and missile effort. He was killed in a strike on his vehicle in Abu al-Aswad, near the city of Tyre.
Israel also reported carrying out strikes against the towns of Yaroun, al-Ayshiyeh, al-Mahmoudiyeh, and al-Jibour. There was no word yet on casualties in those strikes.
Hezbollah didn’t take long to respond, launching its own attacks on Tuesday, sending drones targeting Israeli military bases near the city of Acre. Israel claimed it wasn’t aware of any such attacks, but noted they downed two drones off their northern coast.
Most Hezbollah attacks on Israel have been in the far north, at the border or in the occupied Golan Heights. This drone salvo was described as the deepest Hezbollah strike against Israel in the six plus months since hostilities began.
Such tit-for-tat strikes between Israel and Hezbollah have been a virtual daily occurrence in recent weeks, and there is growing fear that the escalation will lead to a full-scale Israeli invasion of Lebanon.
