Beirut, Lebanon- Israel’s military launched strikes Tuesday on eastern Lebanon, official Lebanese media reported, as Hezbollah fought Israeli soldiers after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed no mercy for the militant group.
The premier’s pledge on Monday came a day after a drone attack by the Iran-backed Lebanese group on an Israeli base killed four soldiers, while volunteer rescuers said another 60 people were wounded.
“We will continue to mercilessly strike Hezbollah in all parts of Lebanon –- including Beirut,” Netanyahu said on a visit to the base near Binyamina, south of Haifa.
Hezbollah said its “fighters clashed with” Israeli troops Tuesday who were trying to infiltrate on the outskirts of Rab Tlatin village.
The group also said it launched missiles at soldiers and a barrage of rockets at northern Israel, while the military reported sirens blaring near the border.
Israel’s military, meanwhile, said its “troops eliminated dozens of terrorists in close-quarters combat” and strikes over the past day.
Since Israel last month escalated its bombing in Lebanon before sending ground troops across the frontier, the war has killed at least 1,315 people, according to an AFP tally of Lebanese health ministry figures. However, the real toll is likely higher.
Israel launched multiple air strikes early Tuesday in the eastern Bekaa Valley, putting a hospital in Baalbek city out of service, Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) reported.
The International Committee of the Red Cross’s regional director, Nicolas Von Arx, appealed Monday for the protection of ambulances and other health facilities and personnel, calling attacks on them “deeply worrying”.
Israeli strikes have targeted Hezbollah strongholds as well as other parts of Lebanon, including a northern Christian-majority village where at least 21 people were killed Monday, according to the health ministry.
Anis Abla, civil defense chief in the southern border town of Marjayoun, said rescuers were “exhausted”.
“Our rescue missions are becoming increasingly difficult because the strikes are never-ending and target us,” said Abla.
Peacekeepers vow to stay
Israel says it wants to push back Hezbollah in order to secure its northern boundary and allow tens of thousands of people displaced by rocket fire since last year to return home safely.
The war in Lebanon has displaced at least 690,000 people, according to verified figures last week from the International Organization for Migration.
Israel faced new criticism over injuries and damage sustained by the UN peacekeeping force which has been deployed in Lebanon since 1978, after a previous Israeli invasion.
The UN Security Council for the first time on Monday expressed “strong concerns” over peacekeepers being wounded.
UNIFIL has refused Netanyahu’s request for peacekeepers to “get out of harm’s way”, with UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix saying the blue helmets will stay in their positions.