A Hezbollah attack on the community of Metula on Israel’s northern border killed five people, including an Israeli farmer and four foreign workers, Israel’s Channel 12 reported Thursday.
The attack came ahead of scheduled meetings in Israel between senior U.S. officials and envoys involved in a new push for a ceasefire in Lebanon, where Israeli forces are fighting Iranian-backed Hezbollah, and in Gaza, where they are battling militants Hamas Palestinians.
Separately, Israel issued an evacuation warning to residents of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon for the second day in a row. Israel carried out heavy air strikes against Hezbollah on Wednesday in the city, famous for its Roman temples.
Hezbollah said it launched several rocket and artillery attacks against Israeli forces near the southern town of Khiyam on Thursday. It was the fourth consecutive day of fighting in and around the strategic hill town, which is home to one of southern Lebanon’s largest Shiite communities.
Hezbollah intends to keep Israeli forces out of the city to prevent them from blowing up houses and buildings, as has happened on a large scale in other border towns, a source familiar with the group’s thinking told Reuters.
Hezbollah says its fighters have prevented Israel from fully occupying or controlling villages in the south, while Israel says it is carrying out limited ground operations aimed at destroying the group’s infrastructure.
The White House said Wednesday that U.S. security official Brett McGurk will visit Israel on Thursday, along with Amos Hochstein, a U.S. envoy who has tried to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
A US official said the visit would discuss a range of issues “including Gaza, Lebanon, the hostages, Iran and broader regional issues”.
Sources previously told Reuters the talks centered on a 60-day pause to allow the implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which would involve Hezbollah withdrawing its armed presence south of the river Litani.
Source: Terra
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