Lebanese soldiers died in an Israeli raid

The Lebanese Army said on March 17 that a group of 5 soldiers were hit by an attack from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) while traveling by car and motorbike in the Nabatieh area, southern of the country.

In a notice posted on X, the Lebanese army called the incident “a hostile raid by Israel”. The injured were taken to the hospital, but one person later died from serious injuries. The remaining 4 soldiers are being treated.

The IDF said it had received information that there were casualties among Lebanese soldiers related to an air strike in the south of the neighboring country. The IDF said the incident was being reviewed, and affirmed that its military operations only targeted Hezbollah forces and not against the Lebanese army.

The raid took place during a period when Israel increased attacks throughout Lebanon. Lebanese officials say airstrikes this month have killed at least 886 people, including 111 children and 67 women.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said that Israeli airstrikes destroyed many residential buildings in dense urban areas, killing many family members, including women and children. The agency said such attacks raise concerns about compliance with international humanitarian law.

According to Lebanese government data, nearly 1/5 of the country’s population has now had to leave their homes. The United Nations warns that this situation will continue to worsen in Lebanon because the fighting is expanding in scale and lasting longer.

Tensions between Israel and Lebanon have escalated since March 2, when Hezbollah launched a series of rockets into northern Israel in support of Iran. Israel then increased its attacks and deployed more forces to the northern border area.

The IDF has maintained a presence at five positions in southern Lebanon since the ceasefire with Hezbollah in November 2024. Israel’s Defense Minister has repeatedly warned that Lebanon could “lose territory” if its neighbor does not decisively disarm Hezbollah in accordance with the ceasefire agreement.