17 Israeli soldiers killed in attacks by Hezbollah: Israeli media

By Zain Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) – At least 17 Israeli soldiers have been killed in attacks by the Lebanese Hezbollah group since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza in early October, an Israeli media outlet said late Wednesday.

“17 Israeli soldiers were killed, the majority of them falling victim to anti-tank missiles and drones launched by Hezbollah from southern Lebanon, since the start of confrontations,” said the Israel Broadcasting Authority.

Israeli authorities typically do not announce the deaths of soldiers in ongoing confrontations at the northern border of Israel.

The broadcasting authority noted that the Israeli army had detected the launch of 3,500 missiles and rockets from Lebanese territory towards Israel since the start of the fighting with Hezbollah.

The army also detected the launch of 38 rockets from Syrian territory, it said, adding it did not result in any casualties.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by Palestinian resistance group Hamas in which nearly 1,200 Israelis were killed.

Nearly 32,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and more than 74,000 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide, and guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala