(KUNA) -- Hizbollah announced in a statement issued on Friday that its fighters killed six Israeli soldiers, among them an officer, and destroyed six of Israel's Merkava tanks as well as an unspecified number of armored troop carriers and tractors or earth-movers. The statement indicated that Hizbollah fighters engaged Israeli troops in fierce fighting near the southern Lebanese village of Mashroa-al-Taiba, where Hizbollah fighters were able to destroy one tank and an armored troop carrier. More fighting went on at other locations in the south such as at the villages and townships of Markaba, where six Israeli soldiers were killed, and Aita Al-Shaab, where one Israeli tank was destroyed and its occupants killed, according to the Hizbollah statement. Fighting also continued at the villages of Shiheen, Al-Jibain and Maroon Al-Ras.Earlier today Hizbollah had lobbed eight installments of rockets targeting 21 Israeli towns and settlements, including Affoulah and Bisan. Hizbollah rockets had also been launched at the central command base of the Israeli air force at Remat David which lies about 47 km from the Palestinian-Lebanese border.
Furthermore there is no let up in fighting between Hizbollah fighters and Israeli troops all along the region stretching from the coastal town of Naqoura, westward to the area known as Marjayoun, and eastward to Maroon-al-Ras and Bint Jbail. Meanwhile Israeli forces continue shelling most of the villages of southern Lebanon, with most of the fire concentration being on Sidon, Nabatiya, and Iqlim Al-Tuffah region.