Israel apologizes for strike that killed 3 Lebanese soldiers

The Israeli military has apologized for a strike in southern Lebanon that killed three Lebanese soldiers.

The military said it struck a truck on Sunday that had entered an area where it had previously targeted a Hezbollah truck transporting a launcher and missiles.

The military said soldiers were not aware that the second truck belonged to the Lebanese army.

The military said it is “not operating against the Lebanese Army and apologizes for these unwanted circumstances.”

Lebanon’s army is a respected institution within the country, but it is not powerful enough to impose its will on Hezbollah or defend Lebanon from Israel’s invasion. The army has largely kept to the sidelines as Israel and Hezbollah have traded blows over the past year.

Israeli forces have been clashing with Hezbollah on Lebanon's southern border since the beginning of the month in an attempt to invade parts of south Lebanon in what Israel called "a limited ground operation." Israeli airstrikes have pounded large areas of the country.

Hezbollah has fired thousands of rockets, missiles and drones into Israel since Oct. 8, 2023, the day after its ally Hamas launched a surprise attack into Israel, triggering the war in Gaza.