Israel vows 'forceful response' to Hezbollah 'painful' strike on base

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin that Israel would deliver a strong response to Hezbollah after the Lebanese armed group struck an Israeli army base killing four soldiers.

Gallant spoke to Austin overnight and "highlighted the severity of the attack and the forceful response that would be taken against Hezbollah", the minister's office said in a statement.

Israel's army chief described Monday the Hezbollah drone strike as "difficult and painful."

"We are at war, and an attack on a training base on the home front is difficult and the results are painful," Lieutenant Geneal Herzi Halevi told soldiers during a visit to the Golani Brigade training base that was hit Sunday night in the area of Binyamina, south of the city of Haifa.