The IDF reported on Wednesday that eight soldiers and officers were killed in fierce battles in southern Lebanon, marking the first Israeli fatalities in the Israeli military's ongoing operation in the region.
The fallen soldiers include Captain Harel Etinger, 23, from Eli, and Captain Eitan Itzhak Oster, 22, from Modi'in Maccabim Re'ut, both served as squad commanders in the elite Egoz Unit of the Commando Brigade. Also killed were Sergeant First Class Noam Barzilay, 22, from Kokhav Ya'ir Tzur Yigal, Sergeant First Class Or Mantzur, 21, from Beit Aryeh-Ofarim, and Sergeant First Class Nazaar Itkin, 21, from Kiryat Ata, all soldiers in the Egoz Unit.
Additionally, Captain Itai Ariel Giat, 23, from Shoham, an officer in the Yahalom Unit of the Combat Engineering Corps, was among those killed. Two other fallen soldiers, Staff Sergeant Almken Terefe, 21, from Jerusalem, and Staff Sergeant Ido Broyer, 21, from Ness Ziona, served in the Golani Brigade's Reconnaissance Unit.
These first casualties in Israel’s operation in Lebanon bring the military's death toll since October 7 to 723, 346 of them have been killed in ground operations in the Gaza Strip.
Initial reports suggest that the Egoz soldiers entered a building in a Lebanese village near the border, where they encountered Hezbollah terrorists. The clash resulted in injuries to the soldiers, followed by heavy mortar fire as fighting escalated. Despite difficult weather conditions, Israeli forces engaged in prolonged combat while attempting to evacuate the wounded.
According to the IDF, the terrorists retreated to a local mosque, where Israeli airstrikes targeted and destroyed the building, reportedly killing about 30 terrorists inside.
Military helicopters were deployed to evacuate the wounded, while Israeli aircraft provided covering fire. Two soldiers were believed to have been killed by anti-tank missiles or mortar fire during the close-quarters fighting, which also involved tank and artillery shelling.
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