Two Israeli reservists were killed, and three others were wounded on Tuesday during clashes with Hezbollah in Lebanon, as the Iran-backed group launched a barrage of rockets into northern Israel. The attacks forced around one million Israelis to seek shelter for an hour due to alarms triggered by a drone infiltration.
The fallen soldiers were identified as Maj. (res.) Aviram Hariv, 42, deputy commander of the Alon Brigade’s 9308th Battalion from Dolev, and Master Sgt. (res.) Saar Eliad Navarsky, 27, of the 7338th “Adirim” Artillery Regiment from Tel Aviv. Maj. Hariv was killed during combat in southern Lebanon, while Navarsky died during a rocket attack on northern Israel.
Hezbollah fired at least 65 rockets at Israel throughout the day, including a concentrated strike on the Neot Mordechai area in the Galilee Panhandle, resulting in injuries to a 32-year-old man from glass shards. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that some rockets were intercepted, with impacts confirmed in various locations.
In the evening, alarms sounded along Israel’s northern coast as a drone, launched from Lebanon, caused mass panic, prompting millions to enter bomb shelters. The IDF reported that the drone likely impacted an open area but had lost contact with it.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for launching attack drones at an Israeli military base near Haifa and stated it targeted several Israeli tanks in the region. However, the IDF did not confirm these claims.
In a related development, the Sahel Hospital in Beirut opened its doors to journalists to counter IDF assertions that a Hezbollah cash bunker was located beneath it. Journalists found no evidence of such a bunker, despite the IDF providing specific directions to its alleged location.
The IDF continued its operations against Hezbollah, striking command centers in southern Lebanon, including several belonging to the group’s elite Radwan Force. The military emphasized efforts to minimize civilian harm during these strikes and provided advance evacuation warnings.
The Lebanese health ministry reported at least 18 fatalities in an Israeli strike near Rafic Hariri Hospital, although the IDF stated the attack targeted a Hezbollah position. United Nations officials condemned the strike, calling for an investigation into civilian protection standards under international humanitarian law.
In a press conference, a Hezbollah spokesman acknowledged the capture of some operatives by Israeli forces and called for the International Committee of the Red Cross to verify their safety. The press conference was abruptly cut short as the IDF issued an evacuation order for the area.
The recent escalation of violence has seen a significant rise in casualties, with the Lebanese government reporting at least 2,530 deaths from Israeli strikes, although it did not specify the number of civilians versus combatants. Since October 2023, 29 Israeli civilians and 44 IDF soldiers and reservists have died in border clashes. The IDF estimates around 2,000 Hezbollah operatives have been killed during the ongoing conflict.