Israeli soldier killed, 6 wounded in Hezbollah drone attack in Lebanon

The Israeli military said on Sunday that a soldier was killed and six others wounded in a drone attack carried out by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, reported Xinhua.

In a statement, the military said the soldier, identified as Idan Fooks, 19, of the 77th Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade, "fell during combat."

In the same incident, an officer and three additional soldiers were severely wounded, one soldier moderately wounded and another lightly. All were evacuated to a hospital.

The death brings to 16 the number of Israeli soldiers killed in the current round of violence between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated in early March amid the war with Iran.

The attack on Sunday morning followed fresh Israeli airstrikes after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to "vigorously attack Hezbollah targets" in Lebanon.

According to Lebanese official sources, nine people were killed during the day in Israeli airstrikes targeting multiple areas in southern Lebanon.

Despite a temporary ceasefire taking force last Friday, Israeli troops remained deployed in southern Lebanon and continue to carry out frequent strikes.

Lebanon reports 2,500 killed in Israeli attacks since March

The total number of people killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since early March has risen to 2,509, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said on Sunday, reported Xinhua.

The ministry added that at least 7,755 people have been wounded since March 2, as the conflict continues to take a heavy toll on the country despite a U.S.-mediated ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah said on Sunday that its attacks are a legitimate response to repeated Israeli ceasefire violations, warning that continued strikes or the occupation of Lebanese land would be met with resistance.

"Continued violations of the ceasefire, attacks, destruction of homes, targeting of civilians, or the continued occupation of Lebanese territory will be met with response and resistance," the group said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hezbollah of undermining the ceasefire, saying Israel had "freedom of action not only to respond to strikes, but to thwart immediate threats, and also to thwart emerging threats," based on "rules that we have agreed with the United States and with Lebanon."

Hezbollah rejected that claim, saying Lebanon is not party to any such arrangement and has neither approved nor endorsed it.

It also said any extension of the truce was meant to secure a genuine ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory, but that Israel had instead escalated its military actions.

The developments came despite a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that took effect at midnight between April 16 and 17, following weeks of intensified cross-border fighting linked to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that the current 10-day ceasefire would be extended by three weeks.