Jerusalem (CNN)The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has said that it wants to de-escalate hostilities on the Israeli-Lebanon border, a day after fighting left two Israeli soldiers and a Spanish peacekeeper dead, Israel’s defense minister said Thursday.
Hezbollah sent the message through intermediaries, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon told Israel’s Army Radio.
“There are nonofficial channels between us and Lebanon to communicate through UNIFIL (United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon), and indeed a message like that was received from Lebanon,” Yaalon said.
On Wednesday, Hezbollah fired five antitank missiles at Israeli military vehicles in the disputed Shebaa Farms area, killing an officer and a soldier, the Israeli military said. Sgt. Dor Chaim Nini was 20; Capt. Yochai Kalangel was 25, Israel Defense Forces said.
The attack took place near Shebaa Farms, also known as Har Dov, a disputed strip of land between Lebanon and Syria adjoining the Golan Heights, under Israeli control.
Seven Israeli soldiers were injured, two of them moderately, the Israeli military said.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack.
