Israel confirms first casualties in its incursion into Lebanon

Israel confirmed its first casualties in the incursion into Lebanon. Israeli troops began their incursion into the neighboring country to fight the forces of the Hezbollah terrorist group following the assassination of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah. More troops are expected to arrive from Israel to bolster the offensive.

On Wednesday, the Israeli 98th Division reported that it clashed with several pockets of armed resistance from the Hezbollah group as it advanced through southern Lebanon. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the engaged in short-range combat (CQC) against Hezbollah members, in addition to conducting airstrikes against gunmen and positions of the terrorist group.

It was reported that there were eight casualties after their incursion into Lebanon. The number of casualties, announced on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, was the highest in months for Israeli forces. From Israel it was also announced that six soldiers, including an officer, were seriously wounded in the same incidents.

"We are at the height of a difficult war against the Iranian axis of evil, which wants to destroy us. This will not happen because we will stand united and with God's help we will win together," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

Avichay Adraee, IDF spokesman, spoke of "heavy fighting" in southern Lebanon, accusing Hezbollah of "using the civilian environment and citizens as a human shield to organize and carry out attacks."

Hezbollah confirmed that its forces did indeed engage Israeli forces in Lebanon. At the same time, they pointed out that they had destroyed three of their tanks near the border town of Maroun El Ras.

The terrorist group's media chief, Mohammad Afif, assured that these first battles were only "the first round."

About a hundred rockets were fired from Lebanon at northern Israel on Wednesday morning. They were spread out in several batches and some of them were launched against the outskirts of the city of Haifa. Another forty Hezbollah rockets were launched against the Safed area in northern Israel, along with the occasional kamikaze drone. The IDF confirmed that they left no damage.