BEIRUT: Fears of escalating tensions rose in southern Lebanon on Friday as separate Israeli strikes killed two Hezbollah and two Hamas members.
One of the members of Hamas, Samer al-Haj, was the security officer of this group in the Palestinian refugee camp in Ain al-Halwah, who was killed by a missile launched from an Israeli drone on the car he was in. This incident happened in Saida, 44 kilometers from Beirut, and it was the first time that this city was targeted.
Two members of Hezbollah were killed in a previous attack on Naqura.
Hostilities continued on Friday and the Lebanese government – which also includes Hezbollah – welcomed a joint statement by the leaders of Egypt, Qatar and the United States.
In this statement, the necessity of an immediate end to the suffering of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the achievement of a ceasefire and the conclusion of an agreement for the release of hostages and detainees is emphasized.
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The fear of the spread of the conflict in the Middle East has caused more airlines to stop their flights to Lebanon.
The statement also called on the two sides to “urgently resume discussions to overcome remaining obstacles to reaching the desired agreement.”
Lebanon's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: What the tripartite statement contains is Lebanon's vision for de-escalation in the region and avoiding an all-out regional war based on the first essential step, which is an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the implementation of the agreement. Resolution 2735 of the United Nations Security Council, which is based on the initiative of US President Joe Biden.
In this statement, it is emphasized: “The need to exert maximum pressure on Israel to oblige this country to sit at the negotiating table and implement UN Security Council Resolution 2735 without delay.”
This Lebanese statement was published while the Israel Radio and Television Organization announced that “residents of border towns with Lebanon should stay near safe areas until further notice.”
Also on Friday, Israeli drones were seen flying over border villages including Yahun, Quynin and Bent Jubeil, using loudspeakers to broadcast inflammatory messages in Arabic against Hezbollah and its Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, prompting gunmen to fire machine guns. Respond to them. .
The Cypriot government announced its “readiness to help evacuate European civilians from Lebanon.”
The US Embassy in Beirut reiterated in a statement on Friday that it “encourages those who wish to leave Lebanon to book any tickets available to them, even if that flight does not depart immediately or does not follow their first choice route”.
The statement recommends that “US citizens who choose not to leave Lebanon prepare emergency plans for emergencies and be prepared for the long haul.”
The fear of the spread of the conflict in the Middle East has caused more airlines, including Air Algeria and Air India, to stop their flights to Lebanon.
Royal Jordanian resumed its flights to Beirut after being suspended on July 29.
The UK advised airlines in the UK “not to enter Lebanese airspace from 8 August to 4 November”, citing the “possible risk to aviation from military activity”.
On the first day of the 11th month of ongoing hostilities, more Hezbollah field cadres were assassinated by Israel after Israel further violated Lebanese airspace as well as its ability to hack into landline and mobile phone calls and the Internet.
Hezbollah announced the death of 30-year-old Mehdi Mahmoud Kasaibani from Haruf and 27-year-old Hadi Jihad Deeb from Baflieh in southern Lebanon, who were killed in an Israeli attack on Naqura on Friday morning.
Israel targeted Aita al-Shaab and a house in Hanawi on Thursday night and Friday morning. According to the Ministry of Health, the house was empty, but five civilians were injured in nearby houses.
IDF spokesman Avichai Adraei said Israel's target was “Hezbollah's headquarters in Hanawi and infrastructure in Aita al-Sha'ab.”
A Lebanese security source said Hezbollah responded with a series of attacks that were limited to Israeli military, strategic and logistical bases, responding to specific Israeli attacks while avoiding civilian targets.
Israel's army radio reported “multiple attacks on the town (Kariat Shemoneh)” and added that “the latest attack included 10 rockets fired from Lebanon towards the town.”
Israeli media reported that five explosions were heard and a rocket hit Kiryat Shmoune.
Hezbollah said it bombed the headquarters of the 769th Brigade in the Kiryat Shamna barracks with Katyusha missiles in response to Israel's attacks on Hanawi. It also targeted the “gathering of Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of Metula” with rocket weapons.
In response to the attack on Naqura, Hezbollah launched a squadron of precision drones at the headquarters of the Coastal Battalion of the newly established Western Brigade in Liman, targeting “positions and concentrations of its officers and soldiers.”
The group said it “hit its targets with precision and inflicted confirmed casualties.”
Hezbollah launched a missile attack on “the Al-Samqah site in Lebanon's Kafar Choubah hills” and “a building used by soldiers in the town of Minareh”.
At the same time as the artillery fired on the city of Taluse in the Marjiun region, the air strikes of the Zionist regime were carried out on the city of Taluse in the Marjiun region.
