Israeli soldier killed, 8 others injured near border with Lebanon

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - One Israeli reservist soldier was killed and eight others injured in an attack by the Hezbollah group near the border with Lebanon, the Israeli army said on Thursday.

It identified the slain soldier as Staff Sgt. (res.) Rafael Kauders, 39, of the army's Alon Brigade’s 5030th Battalion.

Israeli public broadcaster KAN said the incident is likely caused by drones fired by the Hezbollah group on the Hurfeish town in northern Israel.

KAN added that 10 were injured, including eight soldiers.

The incident comes amid serious escalation in the fighting between the Israeli army and Hezbollah along the border areas.

Tension has flared along the border between Lebanon and Israel amid intermittent exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, in the deadliest clashes since the two sides fought a full-scale war in 2006.

The border tension comes amid an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip that has killed nearly 36,600 people since a major attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar