Israeli soldier killed in Hezbollah rocket attack on northern Israel

ANKARA

The Israeli army said one of its soldiers was killed in a Hezbollah rocket barrage fired late Wednesday from Lebanon towards northern Israel.

In a military statement on Thursday, the army identified the soldier as Sgt. Ariel Sosnov of the army's 605th Combat Engineering Battalion.

The personnel is said to be killed in the attack on border Avivim settlement, and three other soldiers were also injured.

The death brings the number of Israeli personnel killed since the launch of Israeli onslaught on Gaza last October, which later extended to Lebanon, to 781.

Late on Wednesday, Hezbollah announced carrying out rocket attacks on several military sites and settlements in northern and central Israel, including Biriyya, Katzrin, Meron, Bar Yohai, Avivim, Rosh Pinna, Goren, Kiryat Shmona, Sasa, and Kfar Szold.

Israeli air campaign in Lebanon continues since late September against what it claims are Hezbollah targets, an escalation in year-long cross-border warfare since the start of the Gaza war.

More than 3,000 people have been killed and over 13,500 injured in Israeli attacks since October 2023, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Israel launched a ground assault into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1.