JERUSALEM, Oct 2, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - The Israeli military said one of its 
soldiers was killed in combat operations in Lebanon on Wednesday, marking the 
first loss since its forces crossed the border to target Hezbollah.

"Captain Eitan Itzhak Oster, aged 22... fell during combat in Lebanon," the 
military said in a statement.

A military website said Oster was killed on Wednesday, without providing 
further details.

Hezbollah said its fighters were clashing with Israeli troops who had 
"infiltrated" a southern border village.

The group said earlier it had forced Israeli soldiers to withdraw after they 
attempted to enter the border village of Adaysseh further northeast.

It was the first time the Iran-backed group said there was fighting on 
Lebanese soil since the start of an escalation in recent weeks when the 
Israeli army began pounding south Lebanon and later killed Hezbollah leader 
Hassan Nasrallah in an air strike.

"This is just the start of the confrontation," Hezbollah spokesman Mohammad 
Afif told media on a tour in the Lebanese capital's southern suburbs.

"The resistance in the south is at its highest level of readiness," he added, 
referring to Hezbollah fighters.

The Lebanese army also said Israeli forces had briefly breached the 
demarcation line between the countries.

"Israeli enemy forces breached the Blue Line by approximately 400 metres 
(yards) into Lebanese territory" in two areas, "then withdrew a short time 
later", it said on X.

Earlier Wednesday, the Israeli army called for the evacuation of additional 
areas in southern Lebanon, telling residents to leave over 20 villages and 
towns in south Lebanon.

The move came a day after a similar evacuation call was made by the Israeli 
military as it announced the launch of ground operations.