The deaths on Wednesday made it one of the most lethal days for the Israeli military since it invaded Lebanon last month to battle Hezbollah fighters.

Israel has carried out airstrikes in Lebanon against what it claims are Hezbollah group targets in an escalation from a year of cross-border warfare between Israel and the Lebanese group since the Oct. 7, 2023 start of Israel’s brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip.

Plumes of smoke rose over Beirut, while airstrikes and artillery shelling inflicted heavy damage on buildings in southern Lebanon’s Bint Jbeil.