Beirut: The Israeli military said on Saturday its forces struck Hezbollah fighters inside a south Lebanon mosque overnight, the first such strike since clashes erupted between Israel and the militants last year.
"Overnight, with the direction of IDF (army) intelligence, the IAF (air force) struck Hezbollah terrorists who were operating within a command centre that was located inside a mosque adjacent to the Salah Ghandour Hospital in southern Lebanon," the military said in a statement.
Israeli strike kills Hamas commander
Palestinian group Hamas said an Israeli strike killed one of its commanders in a refugee camp in north Lebanon Saturday, the first time the area had been hit since the start of the Gaza war.
"Commander" Saeed Attallah Ali, his wife and two daughters were killed in "Zionist bombardment of his house in the Beddawi camp" near the northern city of Tripoli, it said.
Israel has repeatedly targeted Hamas officials in Lebanon since the Gaza war erupted almost a year ago. Hamas has announced the deaths of at least 18 of its militants in Lebanon since then.
The group said an air strike on Monday killed its leader in Lebanon Fatah Sharif Abu Al Amine in his home in the Al Bass camp in south Lebanon.
In August, an Israeli strike on a vehicle in the south Lebanon city of Sidon killed Hamas commander Samer Al Hajj.
A strike in January, which a US defence official said was carried out by Israel, killed Hamas deputy leader Saleh Al Aruri and six other militants in Hezbollah's south Beirut stronghold.
Lebanon's dozen Palestinian refugee camps were created for those who were driven out or fled during the 1948 war that accompanied Israel's creation.
By longstanding convention, the Lebanese army stays out of the camps and leaves the Palestinian factions to handle security.
Series of explosions rock Beirut
A series of explosions rocked Beirut's southern suburbs early Saturday following evacuation orders issued by the Israeli army for parts of the area.
AFP correspondents in the Lebanese capital reported hearing loud blasts, with smoke visible near the airport. This came after Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee warned residents to evacuate specific areas.
Hezbollah announced early Saturday that it was engaged in clashes with Israeli troops along the Lebanon border, claiming to have forced Israeli soldiers to retreat.
In a statement, the group noted, "Israeli enemy soldiers renewed an attempt to advance towards the vicinity of the municipality in the village of Adaysseh," adding that their fighters confronted this effort and that clashes are ongoing. They also reported targeting troops in south Lebanon's Yarun area with a "rocket salvo."
For nearly a year, Hezbollah and Israel have exchanged near-daily cross-border fire, with Hezbollah asserting it supports Palestinian ally Hamas amid the ongoing Gaza war.
Israel claims it is targeting Hezbollah to secure its northern regions for the safe return of displaced residents and has intensified its bombardment campaign, recently announcing ground raids into southern Lebanon.
Four Lebanese hospitals suspend services
At least four hospitals in Lebanon have announced service suspensions due to the ongoing Israeli bombardment. Hezbollah-affiliated rescuers reported that 11 personnel were killed in Israeli raids in southern Lebanon.
On Friday, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati called on the international community to pressure Israel to allow rescue and relief teams access to bombed sites and facilitate the movement of casualties, noting that several dozen emergency personnel have died in recent days.
Sainte Therese Hospital, located on the outskirts of Beirut's southern suburbs, reported "huge damage" and stated that "Israeli warplanes' targeting of the vicinity" on Thursday forced it to halt services. Similarly, the Mais al-Jabal hospital near the Israel border announced the suspension of all departments due to "enemy targeting of the hospital" since last October, along with supply line issues and staff access challenges.
The Marjayoun hospital reported operating for four days without an anesthesiologist or laboratory specialists due to staff fleeing.
Earlier on Friday, Hezbollah stated an Israeli strike killed a rescuer at a site following an overnight air raid in south Beirut. Lebanon's Health Minister Firass Abiad noted that since the fighting began last October, 97 rescuers have died, including more than 40 paramedics and firefighters killed by Israeli fire in just three days.
Lebanon's Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging near-daily cross-border fire for almost a year, with the Iran-backed group saying it is acting in support of Palestinian ally Hamas over the Gaza war.
Israel, saying it is targeting Hezbollah in an effort to make Israel's northern area safe for the return of displaced people, has intensified its bombardment campaign since September 23.
The bombing has killed more than 1,110 people, according to an AFP tally of official figures, and displaced up to one million, according to officials.
