Hezbollah claims casualties among Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon

The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has claimed that its fighters killed and injured an unspecified number of Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. 

The group stated that an explosive device was detonated as Israeli troops attempted to advance into Lebanon towards the southern village of Yaroun on October 3, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Hezbollah did not specify the number of alleged Israeli casualties, and there was no immediate response from the Israeli military. Earlier that day, Israel reported its first soldier's death during the ground incursion, identifying the soldier as Captain Eitan Itzhak Oster, a 22-year-old from a commando brigade, who was killed in combat.

The military did not provide further details at that time. The Lebanese army reported that Israeli forces entered about 400 metres into Lebanese territory on October 2 before withdrawing shortly after. This marks the first official acknowledgment from Beirut of an Israeli ground incursion. 

Earlier, Hezbollah’s chief spokesman, Mohammed Afif, informed reporters visiting sites of Israeli airstrikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs that Hezbollah had "fought a heroic battle" that morning against Israeli soldiers in the southern villages of Odaisseh and Maroun al-Ras.

By Naila Huseynova