Lebanese soldier injured by Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon

By Stephanie Rady

BEIRUT (AA) - The Lebanese army said Wednesday a soldier was injured by an Israeli drone strike while clearing a road in the south.

“A soldier was wounded by an Israeli enemy drone while a unit from the army was working to open the Marjaayoun-Hasbaiyya road at the entrance to the town of Kawkaba to ensure safe passage for citizens,” according to a military statement.

It did not specify, however, the severity of the injury.

Lebanon's National News Agency reported Tuesday that an airstrike cut off the Marjaayoun-Hasbaiyya road, which the Lebanese army had reopened after a previous Israeli strike.

Israel has launched massive airstrikes since Sept. 23 against what it calls Hezbollah targets across Lebanon that have killed more than 1,000 victims and injured over 2,950, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

The top leadership of Hezbollah was killed in the Israeli offensive, including leader Hassan Nasrallah.​​​​​​​

The Lebanese resistance group and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of Israel's war on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 41,680 victims, most of them women and children, following an attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, last October.

The international community has warned that Israeli attacks in Lebanon could escalate the Gaza conflict into a wider regional war.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio