Israel, Hezbollah clash along strategic Lebanese river after overnight strikes

Israels military clashed with the Iranbacked militant Hezbollah group on Tuesday along a strategic river in southern Lebanon as Israeli troops pushed farther north days ahead of talks in Washington between Lebanese and Israeli delegationsA USbrokered ceasefire in the IsraelHezbollah conflict appeared more nominal by the day complicating efforts at a broader peace in the Iran war as Tehran wants an agreement to include an end to the fighting in LebanonThe Litani river has been a defacto boundary in Lebanon with large areas to the south under Israeli military control despite the ceasefire that has been in place for over a month Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after meeting with his defence minister and senior military officials that Israel will expand its operations in LebanonThe Israeli Defence Forces are operating with large forces on the ground and seizing strategic areas he said adding that Israel is trying to fortify an area of southern Lebanon under its control which it says is necessary to protect residents in its northern border towns from Hezbollah rocket and drone attacksIsraeli strike kills 12Meanwhile an Israeli security official said the military had called up an additional battalion to Lebanon speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulationsIsraels military said it struck more than 100 Hezbollah sites across southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley area overnight adding that it targeted storage facilities command centres and observation points used to attack Israeli troops and residents in northern IsraelOne strike hit the eastern village of Mashghara killing 12 people including several members of the same family Lebanons staterun National News Agency said Israel in recent days has intensified strikes in the city and province of Nabatiyeh just north of the river On Tuesday it warned city residents to leaveHezbollah meanwhile said it launched several rocket artillery and exploding drone attacks on Israeli troops and vehicles mobilising along the river toward the Nabatiyeh villages of Yohmor alShaqif and Zawtar alSharqieh Hezbollahs AlManar TV said the militant group repelled attacks along the river banksElsewhere in eastern Lebanon Israel struck an area near the Qaraoun Dam the countrys largest along the Litani river The Litani River Authority said there was no direct damage to the damBeirut the Lebanese capital has been spared from strikes since the start of the ceasefire but Israels latest moves have caused fearBy just saying a few words on TV Netanyahu causes everyone to panic and flee their homes said Tony Aboud in Beiruts bustling Hamra district I do not know what is going to happen and how long we can live like thisLebanon hopes for an agreement that will see Israeli withdrawalThe Lebanese government which came to power on a platform of reform and disarming Hezbollah and other armed groups hopes that the direct talks with Israel which Hezbollah opposes will lead to a permanent ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli troopsIsrael says it will not withdraw until Hezbollah no longer poses a threat to residents of its northern towns Hezbollah has vowed to fight until Israel stops its daily airstrikes and withdraws its troops from LebanonIn recent weeks Hezbollah has boasted that it is using new fibreoptic drones that Israeli troops have struggled to intercept hitting both Israeli forces and northern Israeli villages Israel has told people there not to gather in large numbersWhat this requires of us now is to increase the blows to increase the intensity We will smite them hip and thigh Netanyahu said on Monday Over one million 10 lakh people in Lebanon have been displaced in the war sparked when Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel on March 2 in solidarity with Iran two days after the Iran war beganAt least 3213 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since the start of the war according to the Lebanese Health Ministry with over 9700 wounded According to Netanyahus office 23 Israeli soldiers and a defence contractor have been killed in or near southern Lebanon and two civilians have been killed in northern Israel the vast majority by dronesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever