Beirut/Tel Aviv, June 19 (IANS/DPA): At least three members from the pro-Iranian Hezbollah movement were killed Wednesday in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon, Hezbollah and Lebanese security sources said.

Lebanese security sources said the Israeli drone attack struck an area in the southern village of Yaroun, not far from the border with Israel. According to the same sources Yaroun was hit twice overnight and this morning

In a statement, Hezbollah declared the deaths of three of its fighters. The militia usually does not elaborate on when and where its fighters die.

The strike was an Israeli retaliation to a series of attacks carried out by the Shiite militia, among them drones fired on Israeli soldiers in Metulla in northern Israel.

The state-run Lebanese news agency NNA also reported Israeli air strikes on the areas around Khiyam and near the coastal city of Tyre.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that on Wednesday morning, "several Hezbollah terrorists were identified entering a military structure in the area of Yaroun which is used as a weapons storage facility."

It said the air force attacked the structure where the terrorists operated.

The IDF said that senior commanders had approved “operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon” during a situation assessment. The readiness of the troops will be further increased.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is due to give a speech at 5 pm (1400 GMT) on Wednesday in the southern suburbs of Beirut - a Hezbollah stronghold.

His speech was planned to commemorate a senior Hezbollah commander Talib Abdallah, who was killed by Israel last week.