Israeli forces bombard Hezbollah in Lebanon

JERUSALEM/BEIRUT: Israel unleashed an intense barrage of air strikes on a valley in south Lebanon, Lebanese security sources and the Israeli military said, after a rare Israeli acknowledgment of a special forces operation on the border.

Lebanese security sources told Reuters there were atleast 16 airstrikes in quick succession on the Suluki Valley, describing them as the "densest bombardment of a single location" since border-area hostilities began three months ago. The Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia has been trading fire across Lebanon's southern border with Israeli forces in support of Palestinian ally Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military said it had carried out "aerial and artillery strikes" against Hezbollah emplacements and weapons infrastructure in the forested Suluki Valley "within a short amount of time".

The Lebanese security sources did not confirm whether Hezbollah targets were hit, but said the heavily armed group has used the valley to launch rockets at Israel. Israel's Kan radio reported on Tuesday what it described as an unusually large attack by its air force and artillery on dozens of targets in the Suluki Valley.