An IDF officer and two soldiers were severely wounded overnight in a Hezbollah explosive drone attack in southern Lebanon, the Israeli military announced Friday morning. The incident marks a continued escalation of violence despite a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon.
According to the IDF Spokesman, the attack occurred around 2:30 a.m. Friday when a Hezbollah explosive drone struck near a force operating in the Ali Tahir Ridge area of southern Lebanon. The three wounded soldiers were immediately evacuated for medical treatment at Rambam Hospital in Haifa, and their families were notified of the incident, per IDF protocol.
In response to the attack, the IDF conducted immediate strikes against "many" Hezbollah terror installations in the region. The Israeli military said the response operations are ongoing as part of efforts to prevent further threats to Israeli forces operating in the area.
The attack comes amid heightened tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border, where cease-fire violations by Hezbollah have been reported with increasing frequency in recent weeks.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office released a statement confirming the incident, noting that Israeli forces will continue operations to protect troops from threats. The military said that Hezbollah's use of explosive drones continues to pose a direct threat to Israeli soldiers operating in southern Lebanon's security zone.
Hezbollah called on Lebanese authorities to stop pursuing direct negotiations with Israel, describing the talks as "humiliating," in a statement following Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon.
