Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesman Brig. Gen. Hidai Zilberman said this afternoon that Israeli troops thwarted a Hezbollah attack near the border with Lebanon. According to reports, a Hezbollah cell of three to five operatives crossed the Blue Line border a few meters into sovereign Israeli territory. The troops then opened fire at the group with machine guns and tank shells.

It was reported earlier in the day that IDF and Hezbollah exchanged heavy fire today in that area. According to reports, Hezbollah launched an attack on Israeli troops on the frontier, apparently in retaliation for the death of Hezbollah operative Ali Kamel Mohsen Jawad, who was killed in a July 20 airstrike south of Damascus. Israel did not take responsibility for that strike, but Hezbollah was quick to blame Israel and promised to react. The IDF has in recent days increased deployment of forces in the north and has also increased the deployment of Iron Dome anti-missile batteries in the region. It was published this morning that the IDF now estimates Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah won’t settle for anything less than hurting Israeli soldiers as retaliation for the killing of Jawad.  

Today’s exchange of fire took place in the contested Mount Dov, also known as Shebaa Farms — an area Israel, Lebanon and Syria each claim as its own. Residents in the region reported sounds of gunfire and explosion and huge clouds of smoke rising in the air. According to Hezbollah-affiliated media outlet al-Mayadeen, Hezbollah militants fired a Kornet anti-tank guided missile at an IDF tank. Hezbollah-affiliated TV station Al-Manar reported on Israeli artillery fire in the region.

Following reports on the escalation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short the weekly Likud faction meeting and is set to meet now with Defense Minister Benny Gantz and senior security officials for an emergency meeting.