Hezbollah claims to have killed “large numbers” of Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon

Hezbollah claimed on Wednesday it had killed a “large number” of Israeli soldiers in direct clashes in the southern Lebanon towns of Odaisseh and Maroun al-Ras, as fighting intensifies in the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Lebanese group.

Hezbollah accuses Israel of “covering up” victims.

The head of Hezbollah's media office, Mohammad Afif, said the group had inflicted significant losses on Israeli forces, but accused Israel of “covering up” the losses.

“We caused a large number of casualties among enemy forces in the clashes that took place today in the towns of Odaisseh and Maroun al-Ras in southern Lebanon, but there is a cover-up by the enemy,” Afif told reporters, adding Hezbollah remains at “highest level of readiness.”

Israeli soldier killed in southern Lebanon

Israel has also reported victims of the conflict. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the death of an officer killed while fighting against Hezbollah. This was the first fatality in Israel's ground operation in Lebanon.

The soldier goes by the name Cpt. Eitan Itzhak Oster, 22, a team commander with the Egoz commando unit from Modi'in. Oster was killed in a fight with Hezbollah operatives in a village in southern Lebanon.

Oster is the first Israeli soldier publicly reported to have died in the recent invasion of Lebanon.

In late September, Israel began heavy airstrikes against Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, with Israeli officials reporting the destruction of numerous Hezbollah positions.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) began its ground offensive in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, aiming to target Hezbollah's infrastructure.

Escalating cross-border warfare

The fighting between Hezbollah and Israel has escalated since the start of the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip. Hezbollah responded with cross-border attacks, while Israel retaliated with air strikes and now ground operations.

Over 1,000 people have reportedly been killed and tens of thousands displaced in Lebanon.

As the conflict continues to unfold, both sides have engaged in heated rhetoric and raised concerns about broader regional impacts.

Hezbollah's leadership, including its leader Hassan Nasrallah, was reportedly killed in Israeli airstrikes earlier this week.

The airstrike that killed Nasrallah was believed to have created a power vacuum within the group.