Hezbollah fighters repel attempted Israeli advance from Lebanese border towns of Ramish, Mays al-Jabal where 4 residents are missing

The Israeli military attempted this morning to advance on the town of Bint Jbeil and on the center of Mays al-Jabal town, both of which lie along Lebanon’s southern border, according to a Lebanese military source who spoke to Mada Masr on condition of anonymity.

The source told Mada Masr on Tuesday that Israeli forces had attempted to move from the outskirts of Mays al-Jabal to its center at dawn.

Israel’s military advanced on Mays al-Jabal in the first weeks of the escalation which saw it launch ground operations in Lebanon at the end of September. On Monday, footage circulated of Israel detonating explosives over a large area of the town. 

Mayor of Mays al-Jabal, Abdel Moneim Shakeer, told Mada Masr on Tuesday that since the beginning of the Israeli ground invasion of the town, they have lost contact with four elderly people who were living there. 

He expressed fear that they may have been killed by Israeli airstrikes ahead of the ground invasion. 

The residents suffer from chronic illnesses, Shakeer said, calling on the Lebanese military and Red Cross to begin search and rescue operations for the missing elderly in the town. 

Meanwhile, Israeli forces likewise attempted to advance from Rmaich toward Bint Jbeil, Nabatieh governorate’s second largest town, according to the military source. Bint Jbeil has a long history of resistance.

Hezbollah fighters repelled the attempt to advance from Rmaich, the source said, with the National News Agency (NNA) stating that clashes continued until Tuesday at dawn, forcing Israeli forces to withdraw after suffering significant losses.

Israeli infantry forces and vehicles also sought to advance on the hills of Kafr Shouba, advancing towards Sadan heights as well as the gate of the occupied Sheeba Farms, according to the NNA, which said that Hezbollah targeted the Israeli forces with missiles on Tuesday. 

Simultaneous with the attempted incursions, Israeli aircrafts and artillery targeted Bint Jbeil district from Monday evening until Tuesday morning, launching airstrikes on the town’s market, severely damaging  public properties and commercial shops. The targeting was paired with Israeli artillery shelling of the district’s outskirts, as well as the outskirts of the nearby towns of Maroun and Yaroun.

Israeli drones also bombed a motorcycle in the nearby town of Haris, which killed a citizen, and launched an airstrike on the town’s mosque, destroying it, according to NNA. 

A number of other citizens in the Tayri town, just a few kilometers further north, were injured Monday night when they were targeted  by Israeli drones. They were moved to the Lebanese Italian hospital in Sur, the NNA said.

In the district of Sur, which lies further west in south Lebanon along the coast, Israel launched airstrikes on the towns of Bazourieh, Srifa, Barish, Kafra and Yater, as well as on Deir Kifa town where two individuals were killed and a number of others injured.

Also in Sur, the bodies of two citizens were retrieved in Maaroub, after they were killed by an Israeli airstrike on the town on Monday evening. 

Israel’s aggression has killed 3,002 people in Lebanon since October last year, and left 13,492 people injured, the Lebanese Public Health Ministry said on Monday. 

Amid Tuesday’s bombardment, Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Ardaee warned citizens of southern Lebanon against returning to their homes and fields, reminding them that “the war is still ongoing, and we continue to destroy Hezbollah elements and interests.” 

From its side, Hezbollah launched on Tuesday airstrikes on an explosives factory in Khadera, south of Haifa, the Maale Golan barracks and the headquarters of the 810 Hermon Brigade with “specific missiles, which were also launched on three military posts in Dovev barracks, the Ramtha site in the occupied Lebanese Kfar Shuba hills and the southern western outskirts of Maroun al-Ras town, where Hezbollah intercepted the maneuvering of Israeli forces  on Monday. 

On Monday, Hezbollah launched two missiles on the Miron base, in charge of monitoring and managing Israeli missile operations, as well as conducted five operations with explosive drones on Israeli military posts in Manara, Natoua, Zareet, Eifen, Manahem and Yeftah settlements. 

After it issued warnings for Israeli settlements in the north, Hezbollah targeted Yasoud Hamaalah and Kadmat Tesfi Israeli settlements in the north with missiles. 

The Israeli military confirmed on Tuesday that a soldier in the Nahal Brigade was seriously injured during a battle with Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon on Monday. Similarly, the Israeli Air Force announced the shooting down of two missiles launched from eastern Israeli territories, along with two others launched from Lebanon.

The Israeli air forces added on Tuesday that nearly 100 airstrikes were launched on Lebanon and Gaza the day before. 

Meanwhile, the Lebanese Red Cross and troops with the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon headed to the Wata neighborhood in the town of Khiam, where they began search and rescue operations earlier in the week after Israeli forces who had attempted to advance on Khiam for around five consecutive days finally withdrew.

The red cross worked on Tuesday to resume the rescue operations, looking for 15 dead bodies thought to be under the rubble of a house that Israeli forces launched an airstrike on last week amid its attempted ground invasion of Khiam. 

Two Lebanese security sources previously told Mada Masr that no one has been able to approach the area since the Israeli invasion and look for the missing people thought to be trapped underneath the rubble, adding at the time that those missing were presumed dead. 

Despite the Israeli ground withdrawal from Khiam, which came after intense ground clashes with Hezbollah — described in the media as the most violent since the Israeli ground invasion at the start of September — airstrikes continued on Tuesday on the town’s Maslakh neighborhood and its Wadi al-Asafir on Tuesday. 

Israeli airstrikes also targeted towns in Nabatieh and southern Lebanon since the early hours of Tuesday, targeting the outskirts of Kharayeb in Sur, while also targeting the towns of Arabsalism, Kafour and Kfar Tebnit, along with the area between Qosayba and western Seir towns.