Bint Jbeil ablaze as close-range battles turn city into open military test ground

The southern Lebanese city of Bint Jbeil is witnessing a sharp military escalation, with what have been described as “fierce” clashes between Hezbollah fighters and the Israeli army, in one of the most intense rounds of fighting since the current escalation began. According to field reports and corroborating accounts, the fighting is taking place inside residential neighbourhoods and on the outskirts of the city. Military and media sources say the clashes involve direct engagements at close range, as Israeli forces attempt to advance into positions inside the city, facing resistance and repeated ambushes. Hebrew-language media outlets described the situation as “street-by-street battles”, noting that Israeli soldiers encountered unexpected resistance. Hezbollah fighters were reported to be emerging “from all directions” to […]