Beirut, Nov 23 (IANS): A total of 115 people have been killed in Lebanon since border clashes with Israel started after the Hamas's massive assault against the Jewish nation on October 7, a military source said.

The source said Israel stepped up its assaults on Wednesday by using heavy artillery to hit the outskirts of 28 towns and villages in southern Lebanon, reports Xinhua news agency.

The source said that Israeli drones and warplanes destroyed six homes and damaged 20 more in southern Lebanon.

In the southern village of Khiam, the bodies of two civilians were recovered from the rubble of a house destroyed by Israel on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group based in Lebanon announced that there were Israeli casualties after its fighters had attacked Israel's military positions in the villages of al-Malikiyah, al-Bayada and al-Marj, as well as the settlement of Miskav Am.

The Lebanon-Israel border witnessed increased tension for over six weeks after Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets toward Shebaa Farms on October 8 in support of the Hamas attacks on Israel the previous day.

This prompted the Israeli forces to respond by firing heavy artillery toward several areas in southeastern Lebanon.