Army says 5 Israeli soldiers killed in south Lebanon combat

The Israeli military on Sunday said five soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon, bringing to 37 the death toll for soldiers fighting there since the start of ground operations on September 30.

The soldiers “fell during combat in southern Lebanon,” the army said in a statement, adding that they were killed on Saturday. Hezbollah began launching rockets at Israel on October 8, 2023, in support of Hamas after the Palestinian militant group launched its unprecedented attack on Israel the previous day.

Israel dramatically escalated its air strikes on Lebanon late last month before launching ground operations in southern Lebanon.

The war has left at least 1,615 people dead in Lebanon since September 23, according to an AFP tally based on official figures, though the real number is likely to be higher due to gaps in the data.