First Israeli Casualties in Lebanon: Eight Soldiers Killed, 20 Injured

Eight Israeli soldiers were killed in battles with Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon, the Israeli defense forces said.

The IDF tweeted late on Tuesday announcing the names of eight officiers and sergeants who were killed in Lebanon during battle.

The Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah has claimed for the first time since Israel announced a ground operation in Lebanon that it had engaged IDF infantry.

According to Al Jazeera, another 18 Israeli soldiers were wounded. An Israeli commando unit that entered Lebanese territory near the border town of Al-Adis at dawn ran into an ambush.

Hezbollah released a video showing the casualties being evacuated by helicopters. At the same time, the Israeli press began publishing the first obituaries for the IDF soldiers killed in Lebanon.

Defense Arab reported that among the casualties was an Israeli division commander and that the attack was carried out by Hezbollah’s Radwan Forces.