The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has confirmed that a total of eight soldiers have been killed in southern Lebanon on Wednesday.

Document previously reported that fierce fighting is ongoing between the IDF and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Captain Eitan Itzhak Oster (22), a special forces soldier attached to the Egoz Unit (or Sayeret Egoz), was the first Israeli soldier killed in the fighting.

On Wednesday afternoon, another seven soldiers were reportedly killed in the fighting against Hezbollah, bringing today’s total to eight, writes Haaretz.

All those killed were special forces soldiers attached to the Sayeret Egoz commando unit, according to Times of Israel. Those killed were all between the ages of 21 and 23.

The Egoz commandos were all killed during a shootout with Hezbollah operatives in a village in southern Lebanon, along with Captain Eitan Itzhak Oster, whose death was announced earlier.

Another officer and four soldiers were seriously wounded in the same incident.
The two soldiers from the Golani Reconnaissance Unit were killed in a separate incident, in which another soldier was seriously wounded.

In a third incident, a medic from the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion was seriously wounded.

After appearing stunned immediately after the IDF entered Israel, Hezbollah appears to have reorganised and is now putting up stronger resistance.