2 Hezbollah members killed in clashes amid escalating border conflict with Israel

BEIRUT, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) — Two Hezbollah members were killed late Thursday night in a clash with Israeli forces along the border fence separating Lebanon and Israel, Lebanese military sources told Xinhua on Friday.
The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, reported that a Hezbollah military group attempted to plant an explosive device at a border point when they were discovered by the Israeli army, which subsequently imposed a siege on the area.
The clash lasted about half an hour, and as the Hezbollah group attempted to withdraw, an Israeli drone targeted them with an air-to-ground missile, resulting in the deaths of two members. Hezbollah has not yet commented on the incident.
On Friday, Israeli warplanes and drones conducted eight airstrikes on six border towns and villages in southern Lebanon, while Israeli artillery shelled 11 towns and villages in the eastern and central border areas with approximately 40 shells.
Lebanese military sources reported the launch of about 140 surface-to-surface missiles from Lebanon into northern Israel and claimed the missiles were not intercepted by the Iron Dome.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for several missile attacks on northern Israel in response to Israeli strikes on southern Lebanese villages. The group stated it bombed key military sites, including the Northern Command’s air defense missile system in Berea Barracks and the headquarters of Armored Brigade 188 in Al-Aliqa barracks.
Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that more than 100 rockets were launched from Lebanon toward northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Friday afternoon, prompting the Israeli army to advise civilians in the region to stay close to bomb shelters.
On Thursday night, Israeli warplanes conducted around 60 airstrikes on Hezbollah positions in southern and eastern Lebanon, dropping about 150 air-to-ground missiles. The results of these raids, described as the most intense since last October, are not yet known.
These developments follow two waves of explosions from communications devices in Lebanon earlier in the week, which resulted in 37 deaths and 2,931 injuries.
The Lebanese government condemned the explosions, calling them a serious violation of sovereignty, and requested an urgent Security Council meeting. Hezbollah held Israel “fully responsible” for the explosions, which they claimed targeted party units, and threatened retaliation. ■