'Israel' says eight soldiers killed in clashes with Hezbollah in Lebanon
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- Eight ‘Israeli’ soldiers were killed on October 2, 2024, in clashes with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, according to ‘Israeli’ authorities.
- The deaths came days after ‘Israel’ began what it described as limited ground operations in southern Lebanon, with additional infantry and armored forces entering the area.
Eight ‘Israeli’ soldiers were killed in clashes with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon on October 2, 2024, marking the first reported fatalities among ‘Israeli’ ground forces since the start of the ground operation, according to ‘Israeli’ authorities.
The soldiers were killed in several separate engagements in southern Lebanon. The largest clash involved troops from the elite Egoz Commando Unit, who encountered Hezbollah fighters after entering a building in a southern Lebanese village. Fighting then spread to the surrounding area, with gunfire, anti-tank missiles and mortar fire reported.
Two other soldiers from the Golani Brigade were killed in a separate engagement. Several additional soldiers were wounded, including some seriously, according to the ‘Israeli’ military.
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Hezbollah said its fighters had engaged ‘Israeli’ forces in several locations, including near Maroun al-Ras, Odaisseh and Kfar Kila.
The group said it had used explosives, gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades against ‘Israeli’ troops and claimed to have destroyed three ‘Israeli’ Merkava tanks with guided rockets near Maroun al-Ras. These battlefield claims could not be independently verified at the time.
The Lebanese army also said ‘Israeli’ troops had briefly advanced about 400 meters into Lebanese territory before withdrawing, according to reports at the time.
The deaths came two days after ‘Israel’ announced the beginning of what it described as “limited, localized and targeted” ground operations against Hezbollah positions and infrastructure near the border.
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On October 2, the ‘Israeli’ military said troops from its 36th Division had joined forces from the 98th Division operating in southern Lebanon. The military also announced evacuation orders for residents of dozens of southern Lebanese villages.
The ground fighting followed weeks of intensified airstrikes across Lebanon. By that point, more than one million people had been displaced inside Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities cited by international media.
The escalation also came one day after Iran launched a large missile attack on ‘Israel’, further raising fears that the fighting in Lebanon could become part of a wider regional war.
