The IDF identified three of the soldiers as being in their twenties, while the fourth has not yet been publicly named. The military also confirmed that one soldier sustained serious injuries and another minor injuries, though it did not release further details regarding the incident.

The ground offensive continues as Israeli forces advance in southern Lebanon, targeting infrastructure linked to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia. "Our units conducted coordinated operations against fortified Hezbollah positions, neutralizing threats and securing key areas," an IDF spokesperson told Diplomat News Network.

On the Lebanese side, Defense Minister Michel Mounsi stated Friday that Israeli troops had advanced approximately eight kilometers from the border into Lebanese territory. Residents in the southern districts reported heightened military activity, including artillery shelling and airstrikes targeting towns such as Wadi Sarbin, Beit Lif, and Kfara. Local eyewitnesses described loud explosions and intermittent sirens, with families evacuating homes under urgent IDF warnings.

The recent escalation follows nearly a year after the November 2024 ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. The truce collapsed after Hezbollah resumed attacks in response to the ongoing war in Iran, which began on February 28. Israeli countermeasures have since included extensive air campaigns and a renewed ground presence in southern Lebanon.

According to the IDF, its forces have "eliminated dozens of Hezbollah operatives" over the past 24 hours, destroyed underground weapon caches, command posts, and tunnels, and detained a militia member conducting surveillance. "One operative was preparing to fire an anti-tank missile at our forces," the military statement added.

Analysts say the intensifying operations reflect Israel’s objective to establish a so-called "safe zone” extending to the Litani River, a strategy aimed at securing the northern border and limiting Hezbollah’s operational reach. Regional security expert Rana Hariri noted, "The current escalation risks a broader confrontation, as both sides now have overlapping strategic interests linked to the Iran conflict."

On the ground, local residents reported seeing convoys of Israeli tanks moving toward southern villages, while airstrikes at dawn struck civilian and suspected Hezbollah locations alike. "We’ve been told to leave immediately," a resident of Beit Lif told Diplomat News Network, speaking on condition of attribution, highlighting the civilian displacement caused by the offensive.

The unfolding developments mark the most significant surge in violence in southern Lebanon since last year’s ceasefire, with ongoing Israeli operations seeking to weaken Hezbollah’s presence and control the border region.