Netanyahu Mourns US-Born IDF Soldier Killed in Lebanon Clashes

In a post X, Netanyahu said, "My wife and I offer our deepest condolences to the family of the late Sergeant Moshe Yitzhak HaCohen Katz, of blessed memory, who fell in battle in Lebanon."

He added that Katz had immigrated to Israel from the United States, enlisted in the Paratroopers Brigade and "fought bravely in defence of the homeland."

He said, " Moshe, of blessed memory, immigrated to Israel from the US, enlisted in the Paratroopers Brigade, and fought bravely in defence of the homeland."

"On behalf of all citizens of Israel, we embrace Moshe's family in their difficult hour and wish a swift and full recovery to our fighters who were wounded in the same incident," Netanyahu said while offering condolences to the family of the fallen soldier and wishing a full recovery to the other three wounded soldiers.

The IDF, in its announcement on Sunday, said Katz (22), who was born in New Haven, Connecticut, US, was killed during an attack in Lebanon in which three other soldiers were moderately wounded. The injured soldiers were evacuated for medical treatment, and their families were notified.

According to the Jerusalem Post, five IDF soldiers have been killed in Lebanon since the start of Operation Roaring Lion on February 28.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on Sunday morning targeting Israeli military positions near the northern city of Safed, according to Al Jazeera.

In a statement, as reported by Al Jazeera, Hezbollah said it carried out a missile strike on Israel's Mahava Alon base and launched drones at the Berea base, both located in the vicinity of Safed, on Sunday morning.

The group also claimed it fired three salvoes of rockets at Israeli troops and vehicles positioned at the Al-Malikiyah site in northern Israel.

Additionally, Hezbollah said its fighters targeted an Israeli armoured force in Deir Siryan, indicating cross-border hostilities extending into southern Lebanon.

Earlier on Saturday, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) uncovered significant Hezbollah military infrastructure and weapons hidden in civilian areas of southern Lebanon, highlighting the ongoing risks posed by the militant group to both local populations and international peace efforts.

According to the IDF, troops discovered a stash of Hezbollah weaponry inside a school located in Al-Khiyam, a town near the Israeli-Lebanese border. Among the items found were anti-tank rockets, mortar shells, grenades, launchers, light firearms, and explosives.

- ANI