Israel says killed 4 ‘infiltrators’ from southern Lebanon

JERUSALEM

The Israeli army said Sunday that its forces had killed four infiltrators from southern Lebanon amid growing tension along the Israeli-Lebanese border.

A military statement said Israeli forces clashed with four gunmen who sneaked into Israel-held Shebaa Farms in southern Lebanon late Saturday.

Five Israeli soldiers were injured in an exchange of fire with the gunmen, the Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported.

There was no comment from Lebanese authorities or Hezbollah group on the Israeli claim.

Tension has flared along the border between Lebanon and Israel amid intermittent exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah in the deadliest clashes since the two sides fought a full-scale war in 2006.

The border tensions came amid a deadly Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip in response to a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi