Strike near Kfar Kila on Oct. 2, 2024. (Credit: Ibrahim Amro/AFP)
For the first time, the Lebanese army retaliated Thursday against an Israeli attack on one of its centers in Bint Jbeil, near the southern border, marking a new development following the announcement of the killing of two Lebanese soldiers during the day.
"A soldier was killed after the Israeli enemy targeted a military post in the Bint Jbeil area in the south, and military personnel responded to the fire," the army said in a statement.
Earlier, another soldier was killed by an Israeli strike, according to the military. He was in Taybeh (Marjayoun district) with at least one of his colleagues, who was injured, participating in rescue operations with the Lebanese Red Cross (LRC) following an Israeli strike. Four members of the LRC were also injured.
The army noted that the injuries to the rescuers and the damage to the ambulance at the scene were minor. The deployed team was able to "complete its humanitarian mission and transport five injured individuals and one fallen soldier to the hospital."
This marks the second Lebanese soldier killed this week in an Israeli strike. Earlier in the week, a soldier lost his life during an Israeli shooting while stationed at a roadblock. A car was targeted by a drone, and the soldier was fatally wounded by missile shrapnel.
On Wednesday, another soldier was injured in a strike while clearing a road between the Marjayoun and Hasbaya districts.
Since the onset of clashes between Hezbollah and the Israeli army on Oct. 8, 2023, a Lebanese soldier was killed on Dec. 5, 2023, in a strike on a military post in the locality of Odaisseh, at the border. Since then, several border military posts have been targeted without resulting in casualties.
