Hezbollah fighters continued on 18 November to obstruct the Israeli army’s attempts at advancing on the southern Lebanese villages of Khiam and Shamaa.
“In defense of Lebanon and its people, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted at 12:45 pm today, Monday 11-18-2024, a gathering of Israeli enemy army forces east of the town of Khiam, with a rocket salvo,” Hezbollah’s military media reported on Monday afternoon.
It said earlier, on Monday morning, that its fighters targeted “a gathering of Israeli enemy army forces south of the town of Khiam, for the fourth time, with a rocket salvo.”
The Israeli soldiers are attempting to advance on the villages via several axes.
Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in south Lebanon reported on 18 November a significant intensification of the clashes late Sunday and early Monday. The correspondent said Israeli troops were hit nine times while moving towards Khiam.
“The occupation is suffering heavy losses in the ongoing battle in Khiam,” the correspondent said, adding that the army has failed over the last six days to advance into the town.
Israeli troops attempted to control the village of Khiam in early November but failed despite its brutal bombardment of the town.
In Shamaa, forces present inside the village have retreated farther away, the Al Mayadeen correspondent confirmed, adding that Hezbollah has prevented the army from taking up position there. “The occupation’s losses in its failed attempt to control Shama so far are five dead, 30 wounded, and two tanks.”
“Three days after the Israeli attack, occupation forces were ambushed yesterday by Hezbollah on the western outskirts of Shamaa, resulting in casualties among the force, which forced them to rescue the casualties. After that, another force advanced towards the eastern front of the town, and the resistance targeted them with artillery shells, forcing them to retrieve their casualties and then continue advancing,” he added.
Over 100 Israeli soldiers have been killed, more than 1,000 wounded, and dozens of tanks and vehicles destroyed by Hezbollah since the start of the ground operation early last month.
The Lebanese resistance has also maintained rocket fire at Israel’s northern settlements, as well as at the Israeli depth.
A Hezbollah rocket heavily damaged an agricultural facility in the Margaliot settlement on 18 November.
Over the past few days, Hezbollah has launched heavy rocket, missile, and drone attacks on the Krayot-Haifa Bay area and nearby military sites. Last week, Hezbollah announced targeting the Kirya defense facility in the heart of Tel Aviv.
Comments