Shelling renewed this Thursday morning in southern Lebanese areas following one of the heaviest and most distant Israeli airstrikes, which occurred in non-border areas deep within Lebanon. The Israeli bombardment targeting a house in Maroun al-Ras this morning resulted in the death of a woman and injuries to her husband.
Warplanes struck a vacant house in Kfar Kila, southern Lebanon, with three "air-to-ground" missiles. Hezbollah announced that it targeted the settlement of Kiryat Shmona with Katyusha rockets at 12:15 AM on Thursday, December 21, 2023, and that it targeted the Branit forest across the central sector with incendiary rockets at 12:30 AM.
Israeli warplanes conducted an airstrike at around 11:20 PM last night in the heart of the triangle formed by the Iqlim al-Tuffah, Jezzine, and the outskirts of eastern Sidon, hitting forests located between the areas of Bsalia and Sinia near Jbaa and Kfar Melki with "air-to-ground" missiles, the explosions of which resonated throughout most areas of Nabatieh, even reaching the coast of Zahrani and Sidon. The sounds of explosions were also heard in the Shouf area. It is noted that the targeted areas are north of the UN Resolution 1701 zone.
Reports indicated on Wednesday evening that two explosions were heard in the Shouf area shortly after information about an unidentified object falling in Bessri. Intensive reconnaissance aircraft activity was also reported over the Iqlim al-Tuffah, Jabal al-Rihan, and the villages of Tyre at very low altitudes. Additionally, it was noted that an Israeli drone was seen flying very low over the town of Tyrdba in the Tyre district.
Field sources reported that the sound of shelling was heard in the city of Sidon, and its echoes were felt in several villages and towns of the Iqlim al-Khroub region. Citizens in Sidon and the region reported feeling their homes shake due to the shelling. For its part, the Israeli army stated that its air force carried out a strike targeting a "Hezbollah" position in Lebanese territory without providing further details. The Israeli army also released a video on Wednesday evening claiming it showed a strike on a Hezbollah operations center in southern Lebanon.