The Israeli military confirmed that one of its soldiers was killed in combat operations in Lebanon on Wednesday, marking the first fatality since its forces crossed the border to engage Hezbollah.

“Captain Eitan Itzhak Oster, aged 22, fell during combat in Lebanon,” the military stated.

A military website reported his death without providing further details.

Hezbollah claimed that its fighters were engaged in clashes with Israeli troops who had “infiltrated” a village in southern Lebanon. The group asserted that they had forced the Israeli soldiers to retreat after an attempted entry into the border village of Adaysseh, located further northeast.

This marked the first reported fighting on Lebanese soil since tensions escalated in recent weeks, following an Israeli military campaign in southern Lebanon that resulted in the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike.

“This is just the beginning of the confrontation,” said Hezbollah spokesman Mohammad Afif during a media tour in southern Beirut. “The resistance in the south is at its highest level of readiness,” he added, referring to Hezbollah fighters.

The Lebanese army also reported that Israeli forces briefly crossed the demarcation line between the two countries. “Israeli enemy forces breached the Blue Line by approximately 400 meters into Lebanese territory in two areas, then withdrew shortly thereafter,” the army stated on X.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli army urged the evacuation of additional areas in southern Lebanon, advising residents to leave over 20 villages and towns as ground operations commenced. This followed a similar evacuation order issued a day prior.