Related: Israeli army says 9 soldiers killed in clashes against Hezbollah

    JERUSALEM, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army said 9 soldiers were killed and 22 others wounded in clashes against Hezbollah guerillas in south Lebanon on Wednesday.

    The fierce confrontation occurred near the southern Lebanese border town of Bint Jbeil, a stronghold of Hezbollah, said the army.

    "The battle is still going on," an Israeli army spokeswoman told Xinhua, adding that among those injured, three sustained serious injuries, four were moderately hurt and the other 15 sustained light wounds.

    She continued that the Israeli army had successfully retrieved its wounded and dead under fierce fire exchanges.

    Since early Wednesday, Israeli troops were engaged in close-quarter fighting with Hezbollah guerillas, she added.

    Meanwhile, local newspaper Ha'aretz reported that five Israeli soldiers were wounded on Wednesday as the Lebanese Shiite grou pHezbollah fired an anti-tank missile at Israeli troops in the southern Lebanese village of Maroun al-Ras, but the spokeswoman did not confirm the report.

    On Tuesday, the Israeli army said that it had taken complete control of Bint Jbeil, about 4 km into south Lebanon from the border with Israel.

    Bint Jbeil, a major town in southern Lebanon, is about 2 km north of the hilltop village of Maroun al-Ras which was taken control by the Israeli army over the weekend.

    Israel pressed ahead an over-two-week-old massive assault against Lebanon's Hezbollah guerillas on Wednesday.

    Over 400 Lebanese and 50 Israelis have been killed in the violence.

    The conflict erupted when Hezbollah guerillas captured two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others during a July 12 cross-border attack. Enditem