9 killed, 7 injured in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon

BEIRUT, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Nine people were killed and seven others injured on Wednesday in Israeli airstrikes targeting several towns and villages in southern Lebanon, Lebanese military sources told Xinhua.

Military sources, who spoke anonymously, said that one of the raids targeted a house in Lebanon's southwest village of Tayr Harfa, killing two Hezbollah fighters and three members of the Islamic Health Authority and injuring three civilians.

The Islamic Health Authority, an association affiliated with Hezbollah, was established in 1984 during the civil war and the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon. Operating as a public utility, it offers first aid and has centers across the country.

According to the sources, another raid targeted a house in the town of Naqoura in southwest Lebanon, killing a member of the Amal Movement and three members of the Islamic Al-Risala Scout Association affiliated with the Amal Movement and wounding four civilians.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah said its fighters attacked the headquarters of Israel's 769th Brigade in the Kiryat Shmona barracks with dozens of rockets, as well as several other Israeli sites, including the Ruwaisat al-Alam, Branit, MisKav Am, and Ramim.

The Lebanon-Israel border has been witnessing increased tension since Oct. 8, 2023, after Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets toward Israel in support of the Hamas attack on Israel the previous day, prompting Israel to respond by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.

The confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel have killed 388 people on the Lebanese side, including 247 Hezbollah members and 73 civilians, according to Lebanese security sources.