In a day of intense fighting along the Israel-Lebanon border, six Israeli soldiers were killed during a gun battle with Hezbollah fighters as the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) expanded their ground operations in southern Lebanon. The fatalities mark one of the heaviest losses in the operation, which started in late September with the aim of pushing Hezbollah forces away from Israel’s northern boundary.
The fallen soldiers, all from the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion, were identified as Captain Itay Marcovich (22), Staff Sgt. Sraya Elboim (21), Staff Sgt. Dror Hen (20), Staff Sgt. Nir Gofer (20), Sgt. Shalev Itzhak Sagron (21), and Sgt. Yoav Daniel (19). According to an initial IDF investigation, the soldiers died in a firefight inside a building in a southern Lebanese village, where they were confronted by at least four Hezbollah operatives, who were later reported killed.
This incident comes amid an increased IDF ground and air campaign in Lebanon aimed at neutralizing Hezbollah’s military infrastructure. Israeli fighter jets struck Hezbollah targets in southern Beirut, focusing on alleged weapons depots and command centers. Prior to the strikes, the IDF issued evacuation warnings for civilians, urging them to distance themselves from targeted buildings.
The IDF also launched airstrikes on transport routes in Syria allegedly used by Hezbollah to smuggle weapons from Iran into Lebanon. Syrian state media confirmed that Israeli strikes caused significant damage to bridges and roads near the Orontes River and the Syrian-Lebanese border.
Hezbollah has continued to retaliate, firing rockets and drones into northern Israel and claiming attacks on IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv, using Qader-2 ballistic missiles and explosive drones. The pro-Iranian group also targeted an arms manufacturing site in the area, marking the first reported strike on Israeli Weapons Industries (IWI), a major supplier for Israel’s military.