Supporters of the Hezbollah Lebanese Shi'ite Muslim movement, watch the movement's chief Hassan Nasrallah deliver a televised address on a large screen commemorating the annual Hezbollah Martyrs' Day, in Beirut's southern suburbs on Nov 11, 2023, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. (PHOTO / AFP)

BEIRUT - Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Saturday that the Iran-backed armed group would continue to pressure Israel from southern Lebanon by conducting military operations.

In a televised speech to commemorate Martyr's Day, which falls on Saturday, Nasrallah said Hezbollah had been carrying out military operations since Oct 8, a day after Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel that triggered Israeli retaliatory strikes, despite Israel's threats, the majority of which came from drones.

The Lebanon-Israel border witnessed increased tension for five weeks after Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets toward Shebaa Farms on Oct 8 in support of the Hamas attacks on Israel the previous day, prompting the Israeli forces to respond by firing heavy artillery toward several areas in southeastern Lebanon

The armed group has ramped up operations against Israel, deploying Burkan missiles since last week and sending reconnaissance drones on a daily basis, some of which reached as far as the Israeli city of Haifa, said Nasrallah.

He also slammed the US for supporting the Israeli attacks on Gaza.

The Lebanon-Israel border witnessed increased tension for five weeks after Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets toward Shebaa Farms on Oct 8 in support of the Hamas attacks on Israel the previous day, prompting the Israeli forces to respond by firing heavy artillery toward several areas in southeastern Lebanon.

On Saturday, Israel advanced attacks into Lebanese areas 20 km deep from the border, killing a member of the Hezbollah-allied Amal Movement in an artillery strike.

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Three other members of the movement were injured in the strike that destroyed 18 houses and set several fires in southern villages, sources from the Lebanese Internal Security Forces told Xinhua.

The killing raises the number of casualties on the Lebanese side to 96 people, including 75 members of Hezbollah, 10 members of Amal Movement, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad in Lebanon, and 11 civilians, including a photojournalist.

Lebanese National News Agency reported that the Israeli military expanded operations into areas 20-km deep from the borderline during the day, targeting the Litani River in the west Bekaa and the villages of Mahmoudiya, Sajad and al-Rayhan located in the east of the southern city of Jezzine.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah said its fighters attacked several Israeli sites in multiple border areas.

Also on Saturday, during an emergency summit of the Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation held in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati stressed Lebanon's will to reject any attacks on its sovereignty and people.

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Mikati said the Lebanese had never accepted and would not accept attacks on their sovereignty, national dignity, territorial integrity, and civilians, according to a statement released by the Lebanese Council of Ministers.

Mikati renewed Lebanon's commitment to international laws, especially Resolution 1701, stressing the necessity of pressuring Israel to implement all its provisions and oblige it to stop its provocations and aggression against Lebanon.

UN Resolution 1701 was adopted in August 2006 to seek a full cessation of hostilities shortly after a month of deadly warfare between Israel and Hezbollah ended with a fragile truce.