BEIRUT: Two people were killed on Wednesday in several cities in southern Lebanon as Israeli hostilities resumed – one a civilian and the other, according to the Israeli military, a commander of the Iran-backed Hezbollah anti-tank rocket unit – and seven others were wounded.
An Israeli drone struck a motorcycle in the village of Juaiya around noon, striking a passing vehicle and injuring people inside.
The Health Ministry's Emergency Operations Center reported that two people were killed, including Hezbollah member Hassan Fares Jesse and civilian Mohammed Hassan Shomar, and four others were wounded.
“Hasan Pares is the commander of Hezbollah's anti-tank rocket unit,” the Israeli military said.
Israeli shelling and airstrikes continued on border towns known for their loyalty to Hezbollah. These attacks hit the towns of Blida, Tayr Harfa, Khiam, Jebbayn, Chihine, Majdelyoun, Naqoura, Zibqin, Chaqra, Baraachit, Halta, Kounine, Mhaibib and Kfarkela.
“Artillery fire from the phosphorus bombarded the village of Sheva, causing one civilian to suffocate and require hospitalization,” the emergency operations center said.
Hezbollah responded by “strike[ing]the Raheb and Jal Al-Alam areas with shells and the Malikiyah area with missiles.”
Israeli fighter jets have broken the sound barrier over Beirut for the second day in a row.
Lebanon's National News Agency reported that Israeli aircraft carried out two identical strikes over the cities of Sidon and Jezzine and several areas in the south, and activists shared videos on social media showing the aircraft violating Lebanese airspace.
Residents of dozens of villages in Beirut and the Lebanese mountains were left in panic on Tuesday after Israeli warplanes thundered past them, breaking the sound barrier at low altitude.
Border towns along the Blue Line in the western and central sectors were on edge throughout the day as Israeli forces fired flares, while Hezbollah carried out nine operations against Israeli military installations.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech Tuesday that a response to last week's assassination of prominent Hezbollah military leader Fuad Shukr was “inevitable.”
Israel is also anticipating Hezbollah and Iran's response to the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, hours after Shukr was killed in Beirut's southern suburbs.
“The Israeli military is constantly developing its defensive and offensive capabilities,” said Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galland.
Meanwhile, leaflets were distributed on Wednesday in mainly Druze areas, particularly in the Shueifat area, showing children who were victims of the Majdal Shams attack in the occupied Golan that killed 12 people. The leaflets read: “We will avenge them, Hezbollah.”
Israel has accused Hezbollah of shelling the Majdal Shams football stadium, but Hezbollah has strongly denied responsibility for the attack, while Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt has declared support for the Iran-backed group.
