Eight Israeli soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon.

The Israel Defense Forces reported the death of eight of its soldiers in southern Lebanon. All the dead were between the ages of 21 and 23. These are the first losses of the Israeli army since the start of the ground operation against the pro-Phiran Hezbollah group on October 1.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. In his video message, Netanyahu also stressed that the country is in the midst of a difficult war against Iran. The head of government expressed hope for victory, the release of hostages from the Gaza Strip and the return of residents of northern Israel to their homes.

The ground operation was preceded by massive air strikes by the Israeli army against targets in Lebanon associated with Hezbollah. The Shiite group is designated as a terrorist group in the United States. In the European Union, the military wing of Hezbollah is recognized as a terrorist organization, but not a political party, which has its own deputies in the Lebanese parliament, as well as representation in the Lebanese government. During one of the attacks on September 27, the group's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed.