Heavy Israeli-Hizbollah fighting in south Lebanon

JERUSALEM, July 24 (Reuters) Israeli soldiers battled Hizbollah guerrillas as the military pushed north from the Lebanese border village of Maroun al-Ras today, the army said.

An army spokesman said several Israeli soldiers were lightly wounded in the fighting. The army said the troops were carrying out pinpoint operations against Hizbollah positions near the Israel-Lebanon border.

According to the Ynet news website, Israeli forces had reached the outskirts of the town of Bint Jbeil, which it called a Hizbollah stronghold.

The Maroun al-Ras area, just across the Lebanese border, has been the scene of heavy clashes in recent days. The conflict began after two Israeli soldiers were captured and eight killed by Hizbollah guerrillas in a cross-border raid on July 12.

More than 369 people in Lebanon have been killed mostly from Israeli aerial bombardments against Hizbollah positions and some civilian installations.

REUTERS SRS BST1045