NAQOURA (Lebanon), Aug 10: Israeli warplanes and troops blasted the outskirts of southern Lebanon villages on Sunday after Hezbollah guerillas fired an anti-aircraft shell that killed an Israeli.

“Zionist planes attacked the outskirts of the village of Tair Harfa in south Lebanon,” Al Manar television said. The station later reported a second strike in the nearby Tellat al Kharba area.

Witnesses said they heard the sound of several explosions and saw smoke rising from near Tair Harfa.

They said Israeli troops also shot five shells from a disputed border zone into the outskirts of the southern Kfar Shouba town, prompting residents to flee their homes in fear.

Israeli planes and helicopters had flown over southern Lebanon all morning and continued their overflights into Lebanese territory after the airstrikes, witnesses said.

The death was the first in northern Israel by Hezbollah fire since Israeli forces withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000 after a 22-year occupation.

Hezbollah was the driving force in helping push Israel from Lebanon.—Reuters