Three IDF soldiers were seriously wounded in an intense and close-range gun battle with Hezbollah terrorists in southern Lebanon overnight Monday, the IDF spokesperson announced on Tuesday.

Another soldier was moderately injured in the battle, and six soldiers sustained light injuries. All the soldiers were part of the Paratroopers Brigade.

The incident took place in Bint Jbeil—a Hezbollah stronghold and the site of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s infamous “spider web” speech.

The area is currently the IDF’s main operations area. In the course of the operation, soldiers encountered a squad of Hezbollah terrorists at close range, and a fierce gun battle ensued.

At the end of the battle, a complex evacuation mission was carried out, with some of the wounded evacuated by IDF helicopters and others by vehicle to the border and from there to the hospital.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem renewed his threats toward Israel on Monday, saying that his terrorists will fight “until their last breath,” and warning that his forces would capture Israeli soldiers “when the opportunity arises.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)