Israel, clashes with Hezbollah: fire injures six soldiers

(LaPresse) The Israeli army reported that six soldiers were injured in a fire that broke out in the north of the country, along the border with Lebanon, during fighting with Hezbollah. The fire has been raging since Sunday 2 June, but is now said to be under control. The Israeli army said it had sent reserve soldiers and equipment to assist firefighters in putting out the blaze. Fires sparked by the fighting have flared sporadically in recent weeks, but this week’s blaze was more widespread and appears to have caused more damage. The Israel Nature and Parks Authority said about 2,400 acres have burned in northern Israel this week in fires. The Nature and Parks Authority said significant damage had been caused to several nature reserves and parks which would take years to restore. A total of 9,900 acres have burned since late May due to multiple wildfires. Many of these were triggered by rockets and other projectiles fired by Hezbollah. The Shiite Islamic paramilitary organization began firing rockets at Israel the day after the war broke out in Gaza. Since then, Israel and Hezbollah have confronted daily violence that has pushed the region to the brink of a wider war.