Lebanese soldiers killed in Israeli strike during UN-coordinated evacuation: Border violence continues

Report by Lara El Hachem, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

In a tragic turn of events, Major Mohammad Farhat, remembered for his past bravery against Israeli forces, was killed alongside two Lebanese soldiers during an evacuation mission on the outskirts of Yatar, Bint Jbeil, in South Lebanon. 

The operation, which was coordinated with the United Nations, became fatal when Israeli forces disregarded the guarantees they had provided to international peacekeepers, violating international law.

The Lebanese Army has now lost 11 soldiers in service since the start of Israel’s ongoing war, with clashes intensifying on multiple fronts.

In the central sector, heavy fighting erupted between Hezbollah and Israeli forces on Wednesday evening. 

In Aita al-Shaab, an Israeli unit advanced to what they believed to be a secure position, but sources reported that many soldiers were either killed or wounded. Israel later confirmed four of its soldiers had died. It is believed the high number of casualties resulted from a Hezbollah-planted explosive device or a planned ambush rather than direct combat.

The fighting in Aita al-Shaab continued, with Hezbollah announcing close-range confrontations using various machine guns and rocket launchers. They also claimed responsibility for destroying a Merkava tank that was attempting to provide support, causing it to catch fire.

The violence extended to Aitaroun, where Israeli forces tried multiple times to advance into the town on Wednesday night but were repelled by Hezbollah. The battles were marked by heavy artillery shelling from the Israeli side and continuous rocket fire from Hezbollah, which persisted into the following day.