The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have reported the deaths of eight Israeli soldiers in ground combat with Hezbollah fighters inside southern Lebanon.
The fatal clashes marked the first recorded casualties inside Lebanon since Israel’s invasion began a day earlier.
According to the IDF, the military is engaging in “precision-guided munitions and close-range engagements” as it pushes deeper into Lebanese territory. Ground fighting with Hezbollah militants has intensified, raising concerns of further regional instability.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing the escalating tensions, issued a stern warning to Iran. “Iran will pay,” he stated, following reports that Iran had fired approximately 180 missiles at Israel on Tuesday.
The ongoing violence has had a devastating toll on Lebanon. Lebanese officials estimate that over 1,000 people have been killed in the past two weeks, and about a million residents may now be displaced as the conflict rages on.
In Gaza, the situation is equally dire. The Hamas-run health ministry confirmed that Israeli airstrikes targeted the Khan Younis area, resulting in at least 51 deaths.
As the conflict has escalated on multiple fronts, the humanitarian crisis across both Lebanon and Gaza deepens.
