Clashes erupt along border between Israel, Lebanon

Fighting broke out along the Israel-Lebanon border early Tuesday as skirmishes continued between the Israeli military and Hezbollah militants.

An anti-tank missile was fired from Lebanon into the Israeli border town of Metula, injuring three people, the Israeli military said. The military then returned fire with tanks, it said.

No group in Lebanon immediately claimed responsibility. It was not clear if the injured were civilians or soldiers, but Israel ordered civilians to evacuate the area near the border with Lebanon on Monday.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also killed four men with explosive vests at the Lebanese border early Tuesday. There was no claim of responsibility for that incident, either.

Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, which is stationed in Lebanon, have clashed for years near the border, sparking fears the group could launch an attack on Israel in solidarity with the Palestinian militant group Hamas. 

Hezbollah has fired rockets numerous times at Israel, which has returned fire and struck multiple targets. The U.S. has labeled Hezbollah, like Hamas, a terrorist organization.

The IDF said Sunday that nine rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israel, but Israel’s air defense intercepted five of them. The Israeli military also confirmed it would strike the launch site in Lebanon as retaliation.

The assaults from Lebanon have reportedly killed one Israeli soldier and one civilian, and Israel’s strikes on Lebanon have killed three civilians — including Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah — and four Hezbollah militants.

Hezbollah has endorsed, but not joined, the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel in Gaza.