BEIRUT, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Hezbollah said late Wednesday that its fighters clashed with Israeli troops near the southern Lebanese border town of Al-Dhahira.

This photo taken on Nov. 12, 2023 shows smoke caused by Israeli artillery shelling in Tayr Harfa, Lebanon. (File photo: Xinhua)

In a statement, Hezbollah said that the confrontation occurred at around 11:20 p.m. local time after its fighters detected movements by Israeli forces attempting to advance toward the town.

Hezbollah said its fighters engaged the Israeli force directly, claiming to have inflicted confirmed casualties on Israeli troops. The group added that the clashes were ongoing at the time the statement was issued.

The group said the confrontation came in response to Israeli attacks targeting dozens of Lebanese towns and cities, including Beirut's southern suburbs.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military regarding the reported clashes.

On Monday, Hezbollah fired missiles and drones toward Israel, saying the attacks were in retaliation for the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike, and for repeated Israeli attacks on Lebanon. Israel responded with massive airstrikes on Hezbollah targets and deployed ground forces into southern Lebanon, marking a sharp escalation in the conflict.