Israeli media has reported casualties among the Israeli army during clashes with Hezbollah. Israel's TV Channel 12 confirmed the deaths of eight officers and soldiers from the Israeli commando unit, Egoz, in battles in southern Lebanon since Wednesday morning. The clashes occurred inside a building in a Lebanese village, where direct combat took place between the Israeli army and Hezbollah fighters. The Egoz unit, part of the 98th Division, is one of the elite units in the Israeli army and has suffered significant losses in recent days due to the ongoing conflict in southern Lebanon. During a military operation in a southern Lebanese village, the Egoz unit encountered fierce resistance from Hezbollah. Initial concerns about possible kidnappings were quickly dismissed by the Israeli army, which confirmed no soldiers had been abducted. On Tuesday, the Israeli army announced a "limited, localized, and targeted ground operation" in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah targets, despite ceasefire efforts and warnings from Arab and international entities. Simultaneously, the Israeli army conducted extensive raids from midnight Tuesday through Wednesday morning, targeting several areas in the southern suburbs of Beirut, accompanied by new evacuation orders. Hezbollah, in a statement numbered 22, reported that at 5 a.m., its air defence units fired a surface-to-air missile at an Israeli helicopter over Beit Hillel, forcing it to retreat. Since then, no helicopters have been seen in the airspace along the Lebanese border with Israel. Hezbollah also claimed the destruction of three Merkava tanks with guided missiles near Maroun al-Ras in southern Lebanon. The Israeli army stated that commando and paratrooper brigade forces, along with the 7th Armored Brigade under the 98th Division, continued their targeted ground operations in southern Lebanon. They reported finding and destroying a Hezbollah combat complex containing a missile platform, explosive devices, and other military equipment. The Israeli army also claimed that, in cooperation with air units (drones), they eliminated saboteurs and destroyed terrorist structures using precision ammunition and close-range combat. They reported destroying over 150 Hezbollah sites through airstrikes, including headquarters, weapons depots, and rocket launch points. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that Israel rejected an American-French ceasefire proposal and escalated its strikes, including targeting Hassan Nasrallah. Guterres emphasized the need to ensure the safety and security of all UN employees.
