Not Only Gaza, Israel Also Hits Lebanese Hezbollah Militants

South Lebanon/DOK via UN News

JAKARTA - As Israel launched another massive attack on the Gaza Strip, Israel's escalating attacks in southern Lebanon killed five Hezbollah members in recent days.

The war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon marks the deadliest impact of the Gaza war.

As the ceasefire resulted in a major reduction in violence, each side accused others of failing to implement it completely.

Israel says Hezbollah still has infrastructure in the south while Lebanon and Hezbollah say Israel occupys Lebanese soil by not pulling away from five positions at the top of the hill.

Reported by Reuters on Tuesday, March 18, the Israeli military reported that it had attacked five members of Hezbollah in three separate incidents in southern Lebanon since March 15.

In one of the incidents on Sunday, the Israeli military said it attacked two Hezbollah militants "who served as observational operations and directed terrorist activities".

Security sources in Lebanon said five members of Hezbollah were killed.

Israel said gunfire hit a parked car in the Israeli community in Avivim. The shot most likely came from Lebanon.

In Lebanon, Israeli attacks on two cities on Monday destroyed prefabricated houses brought to the area for people whose homes were destroyed in war, security sources said.

The US-backed ceasefire agreed in November required Hezbollah to have no weapons in the south and Israeli forces to step down as US-backed Lebanese troops were deployed to the region.

Israel said earlier this month it had approved US-backed talks with Lebanon aimed at limiting borders.

Israel also released five Lebanese detained by the Israeli military in what it called "a requirement to the Lebanese president".

Hezbollah officials have handed over responsibility to Lebanese countries to free the remaining land that is still occupied by Israel. However, Hezbollah's top official Ali Damoush said the group would not hand over its weapons as long as the occupation was still ongoing.