Amidst the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, Israel said on Monday that four of its soldiers were wounded in an explosion of an ‘unknown source’ held hundreds of meters inside Lebanese territory. An Israeli military official said the blast occurred during “operational activity”,  (held by Israel’s Golani Brigade reconnaissance unit and combat engineering unit), leaving four Israeli soldiers sustaining injuries. 

Significantly, the attack comes in the aftermath of the ongoing Gaza war and the pervasive tensions between Israel and Iran. The attack also marked the first of its kind to be reported when Lebanon’s armed group engaged in a direct confrontation with Israelis after months of exchanges of fire since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack.

Meanwhile, Lebanon’s militant group, Hezbollah, has claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement released, the Iran-backed militant group said that its fighters planted explosive devices in the Tel Ismail area near the border on the Lebanese side.

It added that Hezbollah fighters detonated the explosive devices when a patrol led by Israel’s Golani Brigade crossed into Lebanese territory and arrived at a spot where they were planted. The group further claimed that the blast resulted in deaths and injuries; however, no evidence was provided. 

Around 270 Hezbollah fighters have been killed since Israel’s operation

It is pertinent to note that Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in cross-fire operations on a near-daily basis since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7.

Declaring solidarity with the Palestinians, Hezbollah began firing on Israeli positions on October 8 last year.  The attacks have mostly struck near or at the frontier, but both sides have also increased the targets of their attacks in recent weeks.

Reportedly, while Israeli shelling has killed around 270 Hezbollah fighters and around 50 civilians and displacing some 90,000 people in southern Lebanon, 18 people including Israeli soldiers have also lost their lives  on the Israeli side of the border. Since the start of the tensions, around 60,000 Israelis have also been evacuated from the country’s northern border area. 

(With inputs from Agency)

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