Six Israeli Soldiers Killed in Clashes with Hezbollah

Six Israeli soldiers were killed during a firefight with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that the soldiers were involved in an intense exchange of gunfire while operating in a village near the border, which led to one of the largest single-day casualties since the IDF’s ground operation began in late September.

The IDF confirmed that the fallen soldiers were part of the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion. The soldiers killed were named as 22-year-old Captain Itay Marcovich from Khorvat Ya’ir, 21-year-old Staff Sergeant Saraya Elboim from Mehola, 20-year-old Staff Sergeant Dror Hein from Gan He’em, 20-year-old Staff Sergeant Nier Gofer from Dimona, 21-year-old Sergeant Shalev Itzak Sagrun from Sderot, and 19-year-old Sergeant Yuval Daniel from Nahariya.

According to initial investigations by the IDF, the soldiers were killed during a firefight inside a building with at least four Hezbollah operatives. In retaliation, Israeli air forces launched strikes on Hezbollah positions in Beirut, targeting what they claimed were key facilities used by the Iranian-backed group.