Lebanese Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for targeting Israeli sites and gatherings across the southern borders of Lebanon, bombarding with "Burkan" rockets a grouping of Israeli soldiers, while the Israeli military announced shelling around southern Lebanese towns.
The party confirmed that it carried out three attacks against two Israeli military sites off the Lebanese border, saying that its fighters struck the Berket Risha site with Burkan rockets and a gathering of occupation troops around the Zahariya site.
Hezbollah fighters also shelled the Berket Risha site for a second time with artillery, confirming direct hits. Al Jazeera's correspondent reported the launch of rockets from southern Lebanon towards Israeli positions in the Galilee Panhandle.
In response, Israeli warplanes bombed the town of Blida and a house in Mahibib, and targeted the surroundings of the towns of Marwahin and Majdal Zoun in southern Lebanon.
The areas around the towns of Kfarshouba, Rashaya Al-Fakhar, Al-Khiam, Houla, Adaisse, and Wadi Daftaf and Mees al-Jabal were subjected to Israeli artillery shelling.
Reciprocal Threats
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant praised the military confrontation's progress and the Israeli army's success in pushing Hezbollah elements back from the border region due to intensified Israeli attacks in various areas of southern Lebanon.
During a tour to assess security conditions on the northern front, Gallant said that Israel prefers a political solution to a military one in dealing with the threat posed by Hezbollah, asserting that time is running out.
On Friday, the Secretary-General of Lebanese Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, described the assassination of the Deputy Head of the Political Bureau for the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), Saleh Al-Arouri, as a "significant and dangerous breach," renewing his threat that "a response is inevitable."
Lebanon filed a complaint with the United Nations Security Council regarding Israel's assassination of Al-Arouri during an attack on the southern suburbs of Beirut a few days ago, describing the targeting operation as the most dangerous stage of the Israeli attacks on the country.
The complaint stated that Israel used six missiles in the assassination operation and that it uses Lebanese airspace to bomb Syria.
Limited War
Israeli officials said last Friday that Tel Aviv believes that if an agreement is not reached to remove Hezbollah forces from the Lebanese border, a limited war could break out between the sides.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation cited unnamed officials saying, "We are about to exhaust efforts to reach an agreement; because Hezbollah does not express to intermediaries its desire to reach such an agreement."
The officials added that if an agreement to remove Hezbollah from the Lebanese border is not reached, a limited war may erupt between the two parties.
In December, Gallant threatened to push Hezbollah back beyond the Litani River in southern Lebanon, whether by an international political arrangement or by a military move.
Alternatively, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen stated on December 17th that only the implementation of the international resolution 1701, which requires the removal of Hezbollah fighters to north of the Litani River, would prevent a war with Lebanon.
On August 11th, 2006, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1701, which calls for a full cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel after a 33-day war between Hezbollah and the Israeli army.
The resolution calls for a zone between the Blue Line (separating Lebanon and Israel) and the Litani River in southern Lebanon to be free of any armed personnel, war equipment, and weapons, except for those affiliated with the Lebanese Army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
