Hezbollah says foiled Israeli infiltration after 1st direct clash

Hezbollah has claimed it has foiled an Israeli ground incursion of southern Lebanon on Wednesday.

The clash marked the first direct confrontation between the two enemies since Israel launched what it calls limited ground operations into Lebanon.

A statement said that the group confronted an infantry force of Israel, which attempted to infiltrate into the village of Odaisseh and clashed with them.

It added that the group inflicted losses on the Israeli troops and forced them to retreat.

Hezbollah also claimed to have targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the settlement of Shtula and artillery bunkers in the south of the Kiryat Shmona settlement with rockets.

The group, separately, further said it launched an attack on infantry force in the settlement of Misgav Am with rockets and artillery.

Meanwhile, in another statement, Hezbollah said it attacked a group of Israeli soldiers in the Shomera Barracks with a salvo of rockets.

On the other hand, the Israeli army has demanded the residents in 24 towns and villages in southern Lebanon to immediately leave their homes. They claimed that Hezbollah fighters and weapons were present in the area.