Two killed by Israeli shelling in south Lebanon, including soldier

This is the first army casualty since the border conflict began on October 8

Israeli soldiers at Kibbutz Manara on the Israeli-Lebanon border. EPA

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A civilian and a Lebanese soldier were killed on Tuesday when Israeli shelling hit a poultry farm and a military outpost in a marked escalation of conflict along the Lebanon-Israel border.

It was the first Lebanese army casualty since the border conflict between Israel and armed groups led by Hezbollah erupted on October 8.

Three other soldiers were wounded, according to Lebanon's National News Agency.

Hezbollah and allied armed groups have waged the border conflict from southern Lebanon in an attempt to divert Israel from its assault on the besieged Gaza Strip, which was a retaliation for Hamas's attack in southern Israel on October 7.

But the Lebanese Army is not party to the fighting.

The Syrian farm worker was killed in an Israeli artillery attack on the poultry farm near the southern Lebanese town of Arnoun later on Tuesday evening. Two of his family members were injured.

Syrian farm labourers in Lebanon often live where they work, which has left them especially vulnerable to attacks by Israel near the border, where there is much farmland.

The poultry farm was about 6km from the border.

Israel has struck deeper into Lebanon in recent weeks, as the border conflict continues to escalate.

The Lebanese Army said a military centre in the town of Odaisseh was “bombed by the Israeli enemy, which led to the martyrdom of a soldier and the injury of three others, who were transferred to a hospital for treatment”.

The three were being treated at Tebnin Hospital, a staff member told The National.

Renewed violence at the Lebanon-Israel frontier has erupted after a week-long temporary truce between Hamas and Israel ended on Friday.

The temporary pause in fighting had been generally followed on the Lebanese front.

Hezbollah claimed at least 13 attacks on Tuesday against Israel “in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza”.

The group said all were direct hits and inflicted casualties.

Meanwhile, there were reports of intense Israeli bombings near several border towns in southern Lebanon including Yarine, Dhayra, Alma Al Shaab, Al Naqoura, Kfar Shouba, Hebbariyeh, Ayta Chaab, Tair Harfa, Al Jabain, Mhaibib, Beit lif and Meis Al Jabal.

"It is one of the worse day in a while, there has been constant shelling since the morning," a resident of Alma Shaab told The National.

In Dhayra, residents told The National that Israel used white phosphorus shells to bomb the outskirts of the village.

The clashes have killed 101 people in Lebanon, at least 77 of them Hezbollah fighters and 15 civilians, including three journalists.

Israel said that six Israeli soldiers and three civilians have been killed.

Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Tuesday that his intention "over the next three months is to create a kind of permanent stability at the border".

"It's a difficult task, but I have international guarantees to facilitate the process and achieve the solution we want," Mr Mikati said.

He praised Hezbollah's "restraint and wisdom," while repeating that his "main concern at the moment is to avoid, as much as possible, Lebanon being dragged into the war"

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