A security source reported that there were injuries among Hezbollah members after they were targeted by the Israeli army while responding to an Israeli drone near the Risha pond in southern Lebanon. Following the security incident, "UNIFIL" and the Lebanese army prevented civilians from approaching the barbed wire where attempts were being made to assist the injured.
"UNIFIL" stated to "Warda" that they are "aware of the alarming reports regarding the incident along the Blue Line." They added, "We are monitoring the situation, which is extremely sensitive. Therefore, we urge everyone to cease any activities that could lead to any form of escalation."
Israeli army spokesperson Avichai Adraee noted that "a number of suspects approached the security fence along the border with Lebanon earlier today and attempted to tamper with the security barrier, where they were directly spotted by the IDF, which used means to repel them. The identity of the suspects is unknown, and we will continue to work to prevent any violation of Israel's sovereignty and damage to the border fence."
Later, the spokesperson clarified what happened in the town of Metula: "This afternoon, several suspects approached the security fence in the Metula area along the Lebanese border and threw stones and set fire near the fence within Lebanese territory, where IDF forces fired in the air to disperse them."
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant made a statement trying to reduce tensions: "We have deterred Hezbollah operatives on the border with Lebanon using non-lethal means."
In a separate event, the Hebrew channel "Kan" reported that "a group of youths set off fireworks and burned thorns opposite Metula within Lebanese territory in commemoration of the July War." According to the Hebrew website "Walla," an IDF company advanced towards the border fence where "suspicious elements were spotted."
There were reports that Hezbollah attempted to down an Israeli drone, which exploded, injuring three of them while they were setting up a watchtower on the outskirts of the town of Yarin. The incident occurred on the 17th anniversary of the start of a month-long war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and around 160 Israelis, mostly from the forces fighting Hezbollah inside Lebanon.
No immediate comment was issued from Hezbollah's media office on Wednesday. The Israeli army stated that it used "non-lethal weapons" to repel "a number of suspects" who were trying to damage the security fence with Lebanon in the north.
A Lebanese source, familiar with developments in the south, described the incident as an attack and confirmed that members of Hezbollah were injured but could not provide further details immediately. It was understood that Hezbollah would not issue any official statement regarding the incident and that the party's position on what happened would be announced by its Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah during a televised address later today.
Concurrently, a visit by the Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Committee, chaired by MP Fadi Alama, which was scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, from in front of the Parliament to Shoaba Farms (the liberated Bostrat Farm) and the Wazzani area, opposite the border town of Ghajar, has been postponed to a later date due to security developments along the southern border.
By nightfall, it was reported that several youths vandalized surveillance cameras installed by the Israeli army above the dividing fence at Fatima Gate.
