Israel targets mobility, frontline Vvllages in bid to contain Hezbollah

JERUSA LEM - Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday that he and the prime minister had instructed ‌the ⁠military to accelerate ⁠the demolition of Lebanese homes in frontline villages to ⁠end threats to ‌Israeli ‌communities.

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I instructed the IDF to immediately destroy all the bridges over the Litani River that are used for terrorist activity, in order to prevent Hezbollah terrorists and weapons from moving south," Katz said in a statement.

He said the military was also instructed to "accelerate the demolition of Lebanese houses in the contact villages in order to thwart threats to Israeli communities."

Earlier,  Israel said rocket fire from Lebanon killed one person as Hezbollah said it attacked soldiers in northern Israel, the first fatality there in fire from Lebanon since the latest war erupted.

Hezbollah said in a statement that its fighters targeted "a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers" in Misgav Am "with a rocket barrage."

It was among a series of attacks the group claimed on Sunday, mainly against Israeli troops in northern Israel and in southern Lebanon, where Israeli soldiers have been carrying out ground incursions.

The Israeli army had earlier announced it had detected "a launch from Lebanon toward a community along the northern border".

Lebanese authorities have said more than 1,000 people have been killed in the country and more than one million others displaced in three weeks of conflict.

On Sunday, Hezbollah said its fighters repeatedly targeted Israeli soldiers and vehicles in or near the border town of Taybeh, as well as in or near Khiam, a strategic town where the group has repeatedly said it has targeted Israeli forces in recent days.

On Saturday, Hezbollah said its fighters clashed with Israeli forces in Khiam and in the coastal town of Naqoura.

The group also claimed attacks on northern Israel on Saturday, including targeting an air defense system in Maalot-Tarshiha, where Israeli public broadcaster Kan 11 reported three people were lightly wounded.