Israeli Strike Hits Motorbike on Kfar Tebnit-Khardali Road

On Tuesday, an Israeli drone struck a motorcycle on the road between Kfar Tebnit and Khardali, reportedly killing two Hezbollah operatives. Concurrently, Israeli artillery shelled the outskirts of Deir Mimas in southern Lebanon.

Earlier, Israeli forces had used heavy-caliber machine guns against the forests near the southern border towns including Ramia, Aita al-Shaab, Naqoura, and Alma al-Shaab. Artillery was also directed at the Litani River’s stream, Slouqi valley near Qabrikha, and the peripheries of Bani Hayyan.

This escalation followed Hezbollah’s rocket attacks on Kiryat Shmona, an Israeli border town. These attacks were in retaliation for an Israeli strike in Bint Jbeil, which resulted in the deaths of a Hezbollah member and his sister.

This exchange of fire is part of a broader series of confrontations between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, which have intensified since Hamas initiated hostilities against Israel on October 7, leading to a conflict in the Gaza Strip.

This ongoing violence is concentrated along the border and stokes fears of a potential full-scale conflict, reminiscent of the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.

In terms of casualties, since October, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of 505 people in Lebanon, mostly fighters, but including 98 civilians. On the Israeli side, at least 29 people have been killed, with the majority being soldiers.