In a statement, the army identified the soldier as Sergeant Moshe Yitzchak hacohen Katz, 22, a member of the Paratroopers Brigade’s 890th Battalion, originally from New Haven, Connecticut.

The military said the soldier “fell during combat in southern Lebanon,” without providing further operational details.

The latest casualty comes amid ongoing cross-border exchanges between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, which began launching rocket attacks on March 2. The group said the strikes were in retaliation for the killing of Ali Khamenei, an event that has heightened regional tensions.

Since the escalation began, at least five Israeli soldiers have been killed in combat operations along the northern front, according to military figures.The fighting forms part of a broader escalation involving Israel and Iran-aligned groups across the region, raising concerns of a wider conflict.

Exchanges of fire along the Israel-Lebanon border have intensified, with both sides reporting casualties and continued military activity.

Israel has not disclosed further details regarding the circumstances of the latest incident, and there was no immediate comment from Hezbollah.

Lebanon’s official National News Agency, citing the health ministry, said four people were killed in a strike on the town of Adloun, while two others died in an airstrike on an apartment in the Mieh Mieh Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon that also wounded four people.

Earlier, three people were reported killed and 18 wounded in a separate strike on the town of Habboush.There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the reported strikes. However, Israel had earlier warned of imminent attacks on Beirut’s southern suburbs, a stronghold of Hezbollah that has faced repeated bombardment.

The latest strikes come as Israel intensifies operations against Hezbollah, which began launching rockets on March 2, drawing Lebanon deeper into a broader regional war triggered by U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said in a statement that forces were targeting Hezbollah’s “military infrastructure” across Beirut’s southern suburbs “with increasing force,” urging civilians to evacuate immediately for their safety.

Lebanese authorities say the Israeli campaign has killed at least 1,072 people and displaced more than one million since the escalation began, underscoring the humanitarian toll of the conflict.Israel has indicated it may seek to establish control over territory up to the Litani River, approximately 30 km from the border, reviving concerns of a prolonged ground presence in southern Lebanon.

Israel previously occupied the region for nearly two decades until 2000.Cross-border impactIn northern Israel, ongoing rocket fire from Lebanon has disrupted civilian life, with air raid sirens sending residents into shelters.

Israeli authorities reported that a woman was killed on Tuesday in one such attack.The exchange of strikes highlights the intensifying cross-border hostilities, with no immediate signs of de-escalation.

In a statement posted on X, Foreign Minister Anita Anand said Canada opposed any action that undermines Lebanon’s borders, as Israeli forces carried out fresh strikes across the country amid escalating regional tensions.

The remarks come against the backdrop of renewed hostilities involving Israel and armed groups in Lebanon, raising concerns among international stakeholders about a widening conflict.

Israel previously occupied southern Lebanon for nearly two decades before withdrawing in 2000.

Canada’s statement did not outline any specific measures but underscored Ottawa’s position on respecting international law and state sovereignty as fighting intensifies in the region.

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.