According to Al-Mayadeen reporter in southern Lebanon, dozens of elite Israeli soldiers were injured, and their cries were heard across the area.
The Lebanese movement Hezbollah said in a statement that its fighters successfully confronted an Israeli infantry force attempting to infiltrate Lebanese territory through the village of Odaisseh, near the Khallet al-Mahafer area, early on Wednesday morning.
According to Hezbollah, fierce clashes ensued, forcing the Israeli troops to retreat after suffering casualties.
The group stated that the operation was carried out “in support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, in support of their valiant and honorable resistance, and in defense of Lebanon and its people”.
The Lebanese news network Al Mayadeen reported that Hezbollah executed a carefully planned ambush on a group of Israeli soldiers preparing to infiltrate from Odaisseh and Kfar Kila.
AL-MAYADEEN: Israeli soldiers tried to enter Odaisseh, but when they reached the barbed wire, they fell into a tight ambush.
HEZBOLLAH: the fighters of the Islamic Resistance, at dawn on 2-10-2024, confronted an enemy Israeli infantry force that attempted to infiltrate the town… pic.twitter.com/nqUsARwBnk
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 2, 2024
According to Al-Mayadeen reporter in southern Lebanon, dozens of elite Israeli soldiers were injured, and their cries were heard across the area.
Hezbollah fighters reportedly engaged the Israeli forces at close range, leading to intense confrontations.
While the Israeli military confirmed the death of one soldier in the Odaisseh ambush, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent stated that the actual number of casualties was significantly higher.
This incident marked the first direct engagement with an Israeli commando unit attempting to breach the Lebanese border.
Israeli media acknowledged that the Israeli force had been caught in a Hezbollah ambush, highlighting the group’s efforts to target concentrations of Israeli military personnel.
Reports mentioned that Hezbollah unleashed heavy firepower, leading to a fierce exchange of fire between Hezbollah’s Radwan unit and Israeli forces along the border.
Massive destruction of residential buildings and infrastructure in southern Beirut due to Israel’s ongoing aggression. pic.twitter.com/63lkBiRuW7
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 2, 2024
The incident was described as a “very unusual and extremely difficult event” in the North, with Israeli casualties being evacuated from the border area using at least four helicopters.
Tanks and helicopters were deployed to strike the area and provide cover for the Israeli troops, according to Israeli media.
In a related development, Hezbollah announced that its fighters targeted Israeli military positions at the Shomera barracks with a rocket salvo, achieving direct hits. They also fired two Burkan rockets at Israeli forces in the Shtula settlement, resulting in confirmed strikes.
Additionally, Hezbollah targeted a large Israeli infantry force in the Misgav Am settlement using rockets and artillery, delivering precise strikes. Fifteen minutes later, the group fired rockets at Israeli forces and artillery emplacements south of Kiryat Shmona, again achieving confirmed hits.
Both Rambam Hospital in Haifa and Ziv Hospital in Safed declared a “mass casualty event” due to the situation in the North.
Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that Hezbollah had been heavily shelling the border area, with sirens sounding across settlements such as Shtula, Zar’it, Shomera, Even Menachem, and Kiryat Shmona.
Israeli media emphasized that Hezbollah had been continuously targeting Israeli military positions in the North since the early morning, with sirens blaring non-stop in the al-Jalil Panhandle.
Hezbollah’s ongoing military operations against Israeli military sites in the occupied Palestinian territories coincided with a massive Israeli offensive across Lebanon, particularly in the South and East, and in Beirut’s southern suburbs. The Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, was assassinated during the aggression, on September 27.
According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health Emergency Response Center, Israeli attacks on Lebanon since last October have resulted in the deaths of 1,873 people and injuries to 9,134 others.
(PC, Al-Mayadeen)
