Hezbollah strikes Israeli forces near Lebanon's Beaufort Castle

Hezbollah said Friday its fighters carried out precision missile strikes and artillery bombardments targeting Israeli troop concentrations near Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese group said the attacks formed part of 25 operations conducted against occupation forces over the preceding 24 hours, including drone, rocket and anti-tank assaults.

In separate statements, Hezbollah said it targeted military vehicles near the historic fortress with three waves of artillery fire. Fighters also detonated explosive devices against an Israeli force attempting to advance east of Ghandouriyeh, causing what the group described as confirmed casualties, and said Israeli troops later evacuated their wounded under heavy smoke cover before launching retaliatory strikes.

Israeli casualties mount

The Israeli military confirmed Thursday that a tank commander from the 75th Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade was killed in southern Lebanon. The death brings to 28 the number of Israeli military fatalities since late February, when the Iran war began.

Ceasefire enters new phase

The attacks came as Lebanon and Israel agreed Wednesday to renew their fragile ceasefire following a fourth round of US-mediated talks. The deal establishes "pilot zones" placing the Lebanese army in exclusive territorial control while excluding non-state actors, and follows weeks of Israeli strikes that have killed nearly 3,500 people since March 2.