Hezbollah said it was battling with Israeli forces that landed in eastern Lebanon by helicopter early on Monday morning.
The Lebanese group has been involved in the US-Israeli war on Iran by launching attacks against Israel after the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Israeli Infiltration
Hezbollah’s fighters detected the infiltration of around 15 Israeli helicopters from the Syrian side of the border, the Iranian-backed group said in a statement on Monday.
It added that those helicopters conducted overflights across the Eastern Mountain Range, specifically over the villages of Janta, Yahfoufa, Nabi Chit, Arsal, and Ras Baalbek. Some of the aircraft deployed an infantry force in the Sarghaya plain, which was observed advancing across the Lebanese border.
In response, Hezbollah fighters engaged both the helicopters and the infiltrating force with appropriate weaponry.
Fierce Clashes
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported fierce clashes in Al-Sharaa area near the Nabi Chit town as Hezbollah fighters attempted to repel the infiltrating Israeli forces.
The fighting resulted in downing an Israeli helicopter, AFP reported citing two Hezbollah officials.
However, the Israeli military said it was “unaware” of any of these claims, according to the Times of Israel.
Failed Commando Operation
The Israeli infiltration into east Lebanon marks the second incident over the past week. Overnight Friday, an Israeli commando unit launched an operation in Nabi Chit and surrounding areas to recover the remains of Ron Arad, an airman missing since 1986.
However, the operation failed, killing 41 people and injuring 40 others after intense confrontation between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters which involved heavy shelling and airstrikes.
The Israeli military confirmed that they did not find anything related to the missing airman, with no injuries reported among their troops.
Lebanon in the Crosshairs
Against the backdrop of US-Israeli strikes on Iran, Lebanon has been drawn into the conflict after Hezbollah launched rocket and drone strikes on northern Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
In response, Israel conducted hundreds of airstrikes targeting Beirut’s southern suburbs (Dahiyeh), South Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley. Furthermore, the Israeli military has issued mass evacuation orders for all residents in the area south of the Litani River, affecting more than 500,000 people, amid growing speculation of a full-scale ground invasion.
On Monday, the Israeli military announced that its troops began a “targeted and limited raid in an area in southern Lebanon to locate and eliminate terrorists and dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure.”
“Prior to the entry of ground forces, numerous terror targets were struck from the air and ground,” it said in a statement.
As for Sunday, Israeli strikes on Lebanon had killed 394 people over the past week, including 83 children and 42 women, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military said two soldiers were killed in combat in southern Lebanon.
