Following Israel’s ground incursion into Lebanon, eight Israeli soldiers were tragically killed in clashes with Hezbollah fighters, marking the first casualties in the region since the incursion began.
The Israeli army confirmed that six soldiers lost their lives in one clash, while two were killed in another confrontation.
Israel’s decision to send ground troops into Lebanon for the first time since 2006 was prompted by a year of cross-border missile attacks initiated by Hezbollah, following a similar attack by Hamas. The goal of the incursion is to further weaken Hezbollah’s presence near the border, following extensive airstrikes that have already targeted the group’s infrastructure and leadership, including Hassan Nasrallah.
With over 1,000 casualties in Lebanon due to the strikes, Israel has emphasized that its ground operation is limited in scope. The primary objective is to eliminate Hezbollah’s arms depots and tunnel systems near the border, aiming to prevent future attacks on northern Israel. Israel’s past military engagements with Hezbollah have been costly, with the 1982-2000 occupation of southern Lebanon leading to the rise of the terror group and the 2006 war resulting from the abduction of two Israeli soldiers.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expanded the war objectives to include the safe return of civilians to their homes along the northern border, in addition to the destruction of Hamas in Gaza and the release of hostages held by the group. The conflict, which had been relatively subdued since last October, escalated in recent weeks, resulting in casualties on both sides and displacing thousands of civilians.
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