Israel confirms that eight of its soldiers including three captains killed in combat in South Lebanon

JERUSALEM/BEIRUT, Oct 2 (SABAH): Israel confirmed on Wednesday that eight of its soldiers were killed in combat in South Lebanon as its forces thrust into its northern neighbour in a campaign against the Hezbollah armed group.

The losses were the deadliest suffered by the Israeli military on the Lebanon front in the past year of border-area clashes between Israel and its Iranian-backed Lebanese foe.

“Captain Eitan Itzhak Oster, Captain Harel Etinger, Captain Itai Ariel Giat, Sergeant First Class Noam Barzilay, Sergeant First Class Or Mantzur, Sergeant First Class Nazaar Itkin, Staff Sergeant Almken Terefe and Staff Sergeant Ido Broyer, all fell during combat against Hezbollah terrorists in southern Lebanon,” Israel Defense Forces posted on X.

Hezbollah said its fighters were engaging Israeli forces inside Lebanon on Wednesday, reporting ground clashes for the first time since Israeli forces pushed over the border. Hezbollah said it had destroyed three Israeli Merkava tanks with rockets near the border town of Maroun El Ras.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a condolence video, said: “We are at the height of a difficult war against Iran’s Axis of Evil, which wants to destroy us”. “This will not happen because we will stand together and with God’s help, we will win together,” he said.

The Israeli military said regular infantry and armoured units were joining its ground operations in Lebanon, a day after Iran fired more than 180 missiles into Israel, a barrage which raised concerns that the oil-producing Middle East could be caught up in a wider conflict.