BEIRUT, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Violent clashes erupted early Monday in eastern Lebanon after Israeli forces attempted an airborne landing using helicopters, according to official sources and Hezbollah.

Lebanon's official National News Agency reported that "intense clashes are taking place in the Al-Chaara area toward the outskirts of Nabi Chit to repel Israeli forces that carried out a landing on the heights of the eastern mountain range near the Lebanese-Syrian border."

In the meantime, Hezbollah said in a statement that "fighters of the Islamic Resistance detected the infiltration of about 15 helicopters belonging to the Israeli army coming from the Syrian direction."

Hezbollah fighters "confronted the helicopters and the infiltrating force with appropriate weapons," the statement added.

Hezbollah repelled a similar Israeli commando airborne operation near the village of Nabi Chit last week. The clash resulted in 41 deaths and 40 injuries, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.