Five IDF soldiers were wounded in southern Lebanon when an explosive drone operated by Hezbollah hit their location on Wednesday, the IDF said in a statement.
The drone reportedly detonated near a tank belonging to the Givati Brigade in southern Lebanon early in the morning, the military said.
The explosion caused shrapnel injuries to four soldiers, who were escorted to an evacuation vehicle when a few minutes later, another explosive drone struck the evacuation vehicle, injuring another soldier.
The first four soldiers were safely delivered for further medical treatment at a hospital following both strikes. The fifth soldier, wounded during the rescue, was evacuated by helicopter.
Hezbollah’s drone attacks have emerged as a significant concern for IDF personnel operating in Lebanon and for communities along Israel’s northern border in recent months. These attacks have become more frequent despite the formal ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
Growing international pressure for a ceasefire and Hezbollah disarmament
G7 leaders called for an “immediate robust ceasefire” in Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah during the G7 summit in France on Wednesday.
The statement came after US President Donald Trump’s criticism of Israel’s ongoing campaign against Hezbollah forces.
“Israel is fighting Hezbollah too long, and too many people are being killed,” Trump said, according to a June 16 post on X/Twitter by Fox News Chief Foreign Correspondent Trey Yingst.
“You don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody. There are a lot of people in those apartment houses, and they’re not all Hezbollah,” Trump went on to say.
Avi Ashkenazi and Reuters contributed to this report.