Israeli army says killed Hezbollah militant after he wounded 3 troops in south Lebanon

An Israeli officer sustained moderate injuries, while another officer and two soldiers suffered light wounds in an overnight clash with a Hezbollah militant in southern Lebanon, the Israeli army confirmed Friday. Reports indicate the Hezbollah fighter hurled a hand grenade at the Israeli forces during the confrontation.

Following the incident, Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling targeted the southern town of Beit Yahoun. An Israeli drone strike overnight in the southern town of Maifadoun resulted in two deaths and one injury. Additionally, warplanes fired missiles on the outskirts of the southern town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa on Friday morning.

These recent escalations come after a lull in fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah that began Sunday. Israel has intensified its attacks against suspected Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon. Lebanon's health ministry reported on Thursday that three people were killed in an Israeli strike on a car in the region.

Hezbollah has characterized the recent strikes as a violation of the ceasefire but has not yet retaliated. The Israeli military stated Thursday that it had fired upon two separate groups believed to be Hezbollah members. The heightened tensions occur while Lebanese and Israeli officials are in Washington discussing a potential phased withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon.