Hezbollah shells Eilon amid fears of all-out war

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Hezbollah fired Thursday volleys of Katyusha rockets at Eilon in northern Israel in response to the killing of two civilians in Israeli strikes, as warplanes raided Wednesday the towns of Siddiqin and Kafra, also injuring 14 people.

Hezbollah also attacked soldiers in Jal al-Alam with artillery shells, a gathering of Israeli troops on the Cobra Hill and an Israeli post in the occupied Shebaa Farms.

Israeli warplanes and artillery meanwhile targeted Blida, al-Hebbariye, and the outskirts of Beit Leef and Ramia.

Israeli artillery had earlier on Thursday shelled the outskirts of al-Naqoura after a bloody night of airstrikes and bombardments on several southern border towns including Houla, Mays al-Jabal, Markaba and the outskirts of al-Taybeh.

On Wednesday Hamas fired a volley of rockets towards northern Israel from Lebanon while Hezbollah targeted three Israeli posts, including two in the occupied Shebaa Farms.

In recent weeks, Israeli strikes have targeted areas far beyond the usual border regions, killing several Hezbollah commanders and increasing the civilian death toll. On Monday, Hezbollah downed an Israeli Hermes-450 drone for the first time, triggering a violent response, including strikes on Baalbek, the deepest into Lebanon since the war began.

The escalating cross-border exchanges have stoked fears of all-out war on Israel's northern border with Lebanon.

CNN reported Thursday that American officials are concerned that Israel is planning a ground incursion into Lebanon in the late spring or early summer, while analysts and local media reports said that the risk of a full-scale war is unlikely, despite the escalation.

SourceNaharnet