Residents of three villages in southern Lebanon fled their homes Wednesday, after an Israeli-backed militia warned of an imminent attack.
In a broadcast Wednesday on its Voice of Lebanon radio station, the South Lebanon Army said the villages had become legitimate targets since they contained guerrilla bases and the homes of senior officials of the Iranian-backed Islamic fundamentalist Hezbollah.
The villages, located north of the central sector of the border security zone, were identified as Khalsa, West Zauter and Barashit.
Many villagers were reported to be fleeing northward as the SLA and the Hezbollah bombarded each other with heavy artillery and mortar fire Wednesday.
The exchange followed the shooting Tuesday of a senior SLA security officer by a Hezbollah sniper.
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