In a rare move, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) apologized for an incident in which a Lebanese soldier was accidentally killed Thursday by Israeli munitions in a cross-border strike on Hezbollah.
The death is the first casualty of a Lebanese Armed Forces member since the war between Israel and Hamas began on Oct. 7 after the Palestinian militant group's deadly attack on the Jewish state.
"An army military position in the ... Adaysseh area was bombarded by the Israeli enemy, leaving one soldier martyred and three others injured," the LAF said in a statement obtained by Agence France-Presse.
Tensions between the two countries were evident in the LAF's reference to the IDF as the "Israeli enemy."
The IDF apologized in a post on X, saying the soldier was hit in error during a strike at terror group Hezbollah.
"Earlier today, IDF soldiers operated in self defense to eliminate an imminent threat that had been identified from Lebanon," the statement said. "The threat was identified within a known launch area and observation point of the Hezbollah terrorist organization, near al-Awadi. Hezbollah's activities in Lebanon are in clear violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.
"The IDF was notified that soldiers from the Lebanese Armed Forces were harmed during the strike. The Lebanese Armed Forces were not the target of the strike. The IDF expresses regret over the incident. The incident is under review."
The statement is significant, given the infrequency with which the IDF issues apologies.
"The Lebanese Armed Forces have confirmed that a soldier was killed and three injured when their base was hit by the IDF today," the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon wrote on X. "This is the first time a LAF soldier was killed during this critical period. The Lebanese Armed Forces have not engaged in conflict with Israel."
According to the State Department, the LAF is a key ally of the United States in the region and has historically served as a stabilizing influence in a country facing challenges, including the presence of Hezbollah.
Since 2006, U.S. investments of more than $3 billion to the LAF have enabled it to be a stabilizing force against regional threats, including mitigating instability as the country weathers a severe economic crisis that began in 2019.
More than 110 people have been killed in Lebanon since Oct. 7, according to an Agence France-Presse tally, with most of them being Hezbollah fighters and approximately 12 civilians.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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