2 killed, 5 wounded in Israeli airstrikes on S. Lebanon

Flames and smoke rise from an agricultural structure in southern Lebanon, as seen from Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel bordering Lebanon, following bombardment by the Israeli army, on Nov. 23, 2023. Two people were killed and five others were injured on Thursday in Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and military sources said. (Ayal Margolin/JINI via Xinhua)

BEIRUT, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and five others were injured on Thursday in Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and military sources said.

A civilian was killed, and five others were injured in an Israeli air raid on a house in Lebanon's southern village of Aita al-Shaab, while Hezbollah announced that one of its fighters was killed.

Lebanese military sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that Israeli drones and warplanes on Thursday carried out 13 airstrikes targeting several areas in southern Lebanon, including Iqlim al-Tuffah, 20 km from the Lebanon-Israel border.

Israeli artillery fired more than 600 shells at many villages across southern Lebanon, the sources added, stressing that the strikes were the most severe since the latest round of escalation along the borderline.

Hezbollah announced that its fighters attacked an Israeli infantry force hiding inside a house in the Al-Manara settlement, killing four soldiers, in addition to attacking several Israeli positions and the Birkat Risha site on the border.

Also on Thursday, specialized medical teams at the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health trained around 1,100 health personnel in 63 hospitals to prepare for a possible expansion of Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon.

The Lebanon-Israel border has been witnessing increased tensions for over six weeks after Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets toward Israel on Oct. 8 in support of the Hamas attack on Israel the previous day. Israeli forces responded by firing heavy artillery at several areas in southeastern Lebanon.

Flames and smoke rise from an agricultural structure in southern Lebanon, as seen from Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel bordering Lebanon, following bombardment by the Israeli army, on Nov. 23, 2023. Two people were killed and five others were injured on Thursday in Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and military sources said. (Ayal Margolin/JINI via Xinhua)

Flames and smoke rise from an agricultural structure in southern Lebanon, as seen from Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel bordering Lebanon, following bombardment by the Israeli army, on Nov. 23, 2023. Two people were killed and five others were injured on Thursday in Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and military sources said. (Ayal Margolin/JINI via Xinhua)

Flames and smoke rise from an agricultural structure in southern Lebanon, as seen from Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel bordering Lebanon, following bombardment by the Israeli army, on Nov. 23, 2023. Two people were killed and five others were injured on Thursday in Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and military sources said. (Ayal Margolin/JINI via Xinhua)

Flames and smoke rise from an agricultural structure in southern Lebanon, as seen from Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel bordering Lebanon, following bombardment by the Israeli army, on Nov. 23, 2023. Two people were killed and five others were injured on Thursday in Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and military sources said. (Ayal Margolin/JINI via Xinhua)