The Israeli army announced that it bombed southern Lebanon yesterday, in response to a mortar shell fired from it at northern Israel, in a second escalation between the two parties in three months.
“It was found that a mortar shell was fired from Lebanese territory and exploded close to the border in Israeli territory,” the Israeli army said.
The explosion took place in the town of Ghajar, part of which is located in Lebanon and the other part in the occupied Syrian Golan. “In response, the army bombed the area from which the missile was fired,” the Israeli army added.
In Lebanon, the National News Agency reported that “Israeli artillery shelling targeted the outskirts of the town of Kfar Shuba and Mazraat Halta,” noting that “more than 15 artillery shells of 155 mm caliber were recorded.”
For his part, the mayor of Kafr Shuba, al-Qasim al-Qadri, said in a statement yesterday that “about 22 Israeli shells targeted the area west of Kafr Shuba, and the shelling stopped after that.”
The Israeli army announced that it had attacked an area inside Lebanon after firing a missile near the border.
“After an investigation, the army forces arrived at the place, and it became clear that a shell was fired from Lebanese territory, and it exploded near the border inside Israeli territory,” Avichai Adraee, a spokesman for the Israeli army, told Arab media. He added, “In response, the army attacked the launch area inside Lebanon.”
This escalation comes after the Lebanese Hezbollah denounced the Israeli forces’ move to put up a barbed wire fence and build a concrete wall around the town of Ghajar, which led to “separating this village from its natural and historical surroundings inside Lebanese territory.”
For its part, the international forces operating in southern Lebanon “UNIFIL” announced that its commander-in-chief, General Aroldo Lazaro, is in contact with the Lebanese and Israeli authorities to prevent further escalation in southern Lebanon, after a missile was fired from Lebanon towards Israel and Israel responded by targeting the Kfar Shuba area in the south with missiles.
He pointed out, “This incident comes at a sensitive time and an area that witnessed tensions earlier this week. We urge everyone to exercise restraint and avoid any action that could lead to further escalation.”
In connection, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati discussed yesterday with the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Winsland, Lebanon’s commitment to international resolutions and the need to maintain calm and stability in the south.
According to the statement, during the meeting, “focus was placed on Lebanon’s commitment to international resolutions and the Blue Line, and the need to maintain calm and stability in the south.”
2023-07-06 22:05:21
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