BEIRUT, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Hezbollah members on Thursday confronted Israeli forces who managed to infiltrate several border towns and villages in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese security sources and Hezbollah.
Lebanese security sources, who spoke anonymously, told Xinhua that Israeli infantry forces, backed by several Merkava tanks, managed to infiltrate the villages of Tayr Harfa and Chamaa, the municipality of Jibbain, and the town of Seddiqine in southern Lebanon, as well as an area between the villages of Houla and Markaba in southeastern Lebanon.
Hezbollah members confronted the infiltrating Israeli forces in intense close-range clashes using a variety of weapons and fired rocket barrages toward the Israeli gatherings, said the sources.
"Hezbollah members managed to destroy a Merkava tank with an anti-armor missile in a valley adjacent to Tayr Harfa," they added.
For its part, Hezbollah confirmed that its fighters had targeted Israeli forces infiltrating the border villages.
Meanwhile, an anonymous source in the Lebanese Civil Defense told Xinhua that nine people were killed as a result of Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling on towns and villages in southern Lebanon earlier in the day.
The Israeli military has not commented on the incidents. ■
