The Israeli army announced on Wednesday that eight of its soldiers were killed in combat in southern Lebanon with Hezbollah as forces advanced into the country in an operation against the Hezbollah militant group. These casualties represent the highest toll for the Israeli military on the Lebanon front in the past year of ongoing clashes with its Iran-backed adversary. Hezbollah confirmed that its fighters were actively engaging Israeli forces inside Lebanon, marking the first reported ground clashes since Israel initiated its ground offensive. The Israeli military stated that both regular infantry and armored units were participating in the operations, following a missile strike from Iran that heightened fears of a broader conflict in the oil-rich Middle East. Iran claimed that its missile attack—its largest ever against Israel—would cease unless provoked further, while Israel and the United States vowed to retaliate strongly.