JERUSALEM: The Israeli army said on Thursday that four of its soldiers were killed fighting in southern Lebanon, where the military has been battling Hezbollah forces for weeks.
The Israeli army provided the names of the four soldiers in a statement, saying the troops “fell during combat in southern Lebanon” on Wednesday.
The death toll among Israeli troops fighting in southern Lebanon has risen to 26 since the military launched a ground operation in late September, according to an AFP tally based on official military figures.
The war in Lebanon erupted last month, nearly a year after the start of cross-border clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.
Hezbollah began launching rockets at Israel from October 8, 2023, in support of Hamas after the Palestinian militant group launched its unprecedented attack on Israel.
Israel army says 4 soldiers killed in south Lebanon combat
https://arab.news/p2pwy
Israel army says 4 soldiers killed in south Lebanon combat
- The death toll among Israeli troops fighting in southern Lebanon has risen to 26
Syrian government foils Daesh plot to attack churches and New Year celebrations
- Bomber kills soldier in Aleppo, detonates explosives injuring 2 others
ALEPPO, DAMASCUS: The Syrian Interior Ministry announced on Thursday that it had thwarted a Daesh plot to carry out suicide attacks targeting New Year celebrations and churches, particularly in Aleppo.
The ministry said in a statement that, as part of ongoing counterterrorism efforts and careful monitoring of Daesh cells in cooperation with partner agencies, it had received intelligence indicating plans for suicide attacks targeting New Year celebrations in several provinces, particularly Aleppo, with a focus on churches and civilian gathering areas.
The ministry added that it took preemptive measures, including reinforcing security around churches, deploying mobile and fixed patrols, and setting up checkpoints across the city.
During operations at a checkpoint in Aleppo’s Bab Al-Faraj district, security forces intercepted a suspected Daesh member who opened fire. One internal security soldier was killed, and the attacker detonated explosives, injuring two others.
Daesh recently increased its attacks in Syria, and was blamed for an attack last month in Palmyra that killed three Americans.
On Dec. 13, two US soldiers and an American civilian were killed in an attack Washington blamed on a lone Daesh gunman in Palmyra.
In retaliation, American forces struck scores of Daesh targets in Syria.
Syrian authorities have also carried out several operations against Daesh since then, saying on Dec. 25 they had killed a senior leader of the group.
