Hezbollah destroys 3 Israeli tanks in major assault near Lebanon border

Hezbollah announced on Wednesday that it successfully destroyed 3 Israeli Merkava tanks near the southern Lebanon town of Maroun El Ras and inflicted casualties on Israeli soldiers through multiple attacks on northern Israel settlements.

In separate statements, the group claimed that its guided missiles targeted and destroyed the advancing tanks.

The group reported an attack on Israeli soldiers gathered between the settlements of Misgav Am and Kfar Giladi, asserting that they “directly hit” the target with missiles.

Additionally, Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets at another assembly of Israeli soldiers in the settlement of Abirim. They claimed to have killed and wounded soldiers by striking their gathering with a precision missile between the town of Odaisseh and the border settlement of Misgav Am.

The group further alleged that it detonated a bomb on troops attempting to infiltrate the town of Yaroun in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah also reported launching a ground-to-air missile at an Israeli helicopter over Beit Hillel, causing the helicopter to leave the area immediately. They noted that “since then, no helicopters have appeared in the airspace along the Lebanese border with occupied Palestine.”

Hezbollah is engaged in ongoing clashes, using rocket artillery and machine guns against Israeli forces that infiltrated east of Maroun El Ras.

These attacks coincide with an Israeli military ground incursion into southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah has mounted fierce resistance. Reports indicate that these ambushes have resulted in the deaths of eight Israeli soldiers, including officers, and left at least 30 others injured.

Hezbollah also claimed to have targeted two groups of Israeli soldiers with large barrages of rockets in the orchards of Metula and the Israeli settlement of Yiron.

The group stated that they targeted Israeli soldiers while they moved within the settlement of Shtula using rocket artillery.

In response, the Israeli army reported that approximately 100 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward Western Galilee in under two hours, landing in open areas.

Since September 23, Israel has conducted extensive airstrikes against what it identifies as Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, resulting in over 1,000 casualties and more than 2,950 injuries, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

These Israeli assaults have reportedly claimed the lives of key Hezbollah leaders, including leader Hassan Nasrallah. The ongoing cross-border warfare has escalated since the onset of Israel’s war on Gaza, which has resulted in nearly 41,700 deaths, predominantly among women and children, following a Hamas attack last October.

The international community has expressed concerns that Israeli attacks in Lebanon could exacerbate the Gaza conflict, potentially leading to a wider regional war.