West Asia crisis: Israeli kills 250 Hezbollah fighters; drone attack 'from east' kills 2 Israeli soldiers

The IsraelDefense Forces (IDF),on Friday (Oct 4) said that over 250 members of the Iran-backedHezbollahhave been killed during military operations in southern Lebanon since Israeli troops began a ground offensive earlier this week. Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that the country has "more surprises in store," while Hezbollah continues to launch rocket attacks on northern Israel.

The Israeli military said its operations in southern Lebanon are “limited, localised, and targeted raids.” It said that they are focusing on destroying Hezbollah's infrastructure near the border.

Among the 250 Hezbollah members killed, 21 were field commanders, according to the IDF. This group included five brigade commanders, ten company commanders, and six platoon leaders.

The Israeli army said in a statement that "over 2,000 military targets have been struck," which included militants, military facilities, weapons, and other strategic assets.

Here are some other key developments:

3.5-kilometre smuggling tunnel destroyed

In a separate development, the Israeli military announced that its fighter jets destroyed a 3.5-kilometre tunnel running between Lebanon and Syria. This tunnel was reportedly used by Hezbollah to smuggle Iranian weapons. According to the IDF, Hezbollah’s Unit 4400 managed the tunnel, which was instrumental in transferring weapons from Iran and its allies to Lebanon.

Drone attack kills two Israeli soldiers

On Friday, the Israeli army reported that a drone attack "from the east" killed two soldiers. Israeli army radio said that two drones had been launched from Iraq, one of which was intercepted by the air force, while the second exploded at a military camp north of the Golan Heights, killing the two soldiers and injuring 24 others.

11 Hezbollah rescuers killed in Israeli strikes

Hezbollah’s emergency service, the Islamic Health Committee, reported that 11 of its rescue workers were killed duringIsraeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Friday. In a statement, they said seven of their emergency personnel were killed in a "direct Zionist attack on rescue teams" at Marjayoun government hospital, while the remaining four were killed in separate incidents elsewhere in southern Lebanon.

(With inputs from agencies)

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