The military identified the soldier as Master Sergeant Alexander Filin, 29, and said he “fell in combat” during operations in southern Lebanon.

According to a military statement released on Thursday, the incident also left an officer, a reserve officer and a reserve soldier moderately wounded. A combat non-commissioned officer, two reserve soldiers and a female reserve soldier sustained light injuries.

The military did not immediately provide further details regarding the circumstances of the clash or the location where the casualties occurred.

The casualties were reported a day after the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding intended to lay the groundwork for ending the broader Middle East conflict. The agreement calls for a halt in fighting across multiple fronts, including Lebanon, where hostilities have persisted for months.

Lebanon became directly involved in the regional conflict after the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement launched rocket attacks against Israel on March 2 in support of Tehran following the outbreak of hostilities involving Iran and its allies.

Israel subsequently expanded military operations in southern Lebanon, carrying out extensive airstrikes and ground offensives that it said were aimed at degrading Hezbollah’s military capabilities and preventing cross-border attacks.

Lebanese authorities say Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 3,800 people since fighting escalated earlier this year. The figures have not been independently verified.

On the Israeli side, military data indicate that 31 soldiers and one civilian contractor have been killed in connection with operations linked to the conflict since March 2, including the latest fatality.

The death of Filin comes as diplomatic negotiations continue over the future of Israeli troop deployments in southern Lebanon. Israeli officials have said they are engaged in discussions with the United States regarding the possible continuation of military deployments in areas seized during the conflict, while Washington has pushed for broader efforts to stabilize the region under the emerging U.S.-Iran framework.

Despite signs of reduced hostilities in recent days, the latest casualties highlight the continuing risks faced by forces operating in southern Lebanon and the challenges confronting negotiators seeking a durable ceasefire.

The Israeli military said warning sirens were activated following the suspected aerial incursion but provided no immediate details on the origin of the aircraft or whether it had been intercepted.

The alert came hours after Lebanon announced a limited ceasefire arrangement aimed at reducing hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement.

According to Lebanon’s embassy in Washington, the agreement calls for Israel to halt strikes on Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut while Hezbollah suspends attacks on Israeli territory. The arrangement does not constitute a full ceasefire and does not end the broader conflict.

The latest security alert underscores continued tensions along the Israel-Lebanon front despite diplomatic efforts to contain the fighting, which has intensified alongside wider regional instability linked to the conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces had destroyed five bridges over the Litani River that were allegedly used by Hezbollah for moving fighters and weapons, adding that the military would control remaining crossings and maintain a security zone up to the river.

Katz also said displaced residents from southern Lebanon would not be allowed to return until security conditions improve for communities in northern Israel.

The announcement came as Lebanese authorities reported Israeli air strikes near Beirut and across the country. The health ministry said at least two people were killed and five wounded in a strike outside the capital.

Witnesses described heavy damage to residential buildings in Bshamoun, southeast of Beirut, with civilians reporting widespread destruction to homes and property.

Overnight strikes targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, following Israeli evacuation warnings. An AFP photographer reported extensive damage in the Haret Hreik area, with debris and rubble covering streets.

Lebanon’s state news agency said Israeli strikes also hit southern regions and the Hermel area near the Syrian border, including fuel infrastructure linked by Israel to Hezbollah financing.

It reported that Israeli forces carried out a ground incursion into the southern border town of Halta, where one person was killed, another wounded, and a resident allegedly detained before troops withdrew.

Separately, Israeli shelling was reported near Qawzah, while a bridge connecting southern Lebanon to the Bekaa Valley was destroyed for a second time in two days.

Hezbollah said it had launched multiple attacks on Israeli forces and positions, including strikes targeting troops in southern Lebanon and sites in northern Israel.The latest escalation follows Hezbollah’s entry into the conflict earlier this month, when it began firing rockets into Israel.

Since then, Israeli operations across Lebanon have killed more than 1,000 people and displaced over a million, according to Lebanese authorities.

The conflict continues to widen geographically, with sustained air strikes, ground operations, and retaliatory attacks raising concerns of a prolonged regional confrontation.