BEIRUT, Oct  13, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - Several journalists including two AFP

reporters were wounded Friday while covering shelling in south Lebanon near the
border with Israel, an AFP correspondent said, in an area which a Lebanese
security source maintained had been targeted by Israeli strikes.

       Shells fell on a group of journalists from three different media outlets
including from broadcaster Al-Jazeera who were near Alma al-Shaab close to the
border when they were hit, the AFP correspondent said.

       Al-Jazeera confirmed on television that two of their reporters were among
the wounded.

       A Lebanese security source had told AFP that initial Israeli shelling
followed an infiltration attempt by a Palestinian faction from the Lebanese
side of the border.

       The Israeli army had said in a statement not long before the journalists
were hit: "A short while ago, a blast occurred on the border fence in Hanita
(Western Galilee)," referring to a point in Israel just across the border from
Alma al-Shaab.

       "Light damage was caused to the wall. In response, IDF (army) forces are
currently responding with artillery fire towards Lebanese territory."

       Hezbollah said it retaliated by firing at several positions in Israel.
       AFP correspondents had reported shelling targeting the villages of Dhayra,
Alma al-Shaab and Adaysseh, with smoke billowing from the area.

       The Israel-Lebanon border has seen a series of flare-ups since a weekend
attack by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on Israel triggered fierce
fighting.

       Hundreds of Hamas gunmen stormed across the border from Gaza into Israel on
Saturday and killed more than 1,300 people, most of them civilians.

       Israel has retaliated by bombarding Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip,
killing some 1,800 people.

       On Monday, Hezbollah said Israeli strikes killed three of its members,
while Palestinian fighters claimed a thwarted infiltration bid.

       On Tuesday, Israel said it hit Hezbollah observation posts, while Hamas's
armed wing claimed rocket fire.

       On Wednesday, Hezbollah said it targeted an Israeli position near the
Lebanese village of Dhayra. Retaliatory Israeli fire wounded three people.