JERUSALEM (Xinhua) — An Israeli deputy commander was killed in a clash with militants who crossed from Lebanon on Monday, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.
Alim Abdallah, the Deputy Commander of the IDF’s 300th Brigade, was killed “during a confrontation with terrorists who infiltrated from Lebanon into Israeli territory,” it said in a statement. Abdallah, 40, was from the Druze village of Yanuh-Jat in northern Israel.
Abdallah and other troops fought several militants who crossed from Lebanon into northern Israel, killing at least two of them, according to the military.
Israeli rescue services reported that at least six Israelis were wounded by shrapnel. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an Islamist Palestinian group, claimed responsibility for the infiltration.
In response, Israel Air Force helicopters launched airstrikes on Hezbollah posts in Lebanon, the Israeli military said. At least three Hezbollah fighters were killed in the strikes, according to Hezbollah. The conflict escalated drastically Saturday after Hamas fired thousands of rockets into Israel in a big surprise attack, which was responded by Israel with massive airstrikes and punitive measures.
