The Israeli military issued an apology on Monday for an airstrike that resulted in the deaths of three Lebanese soldiers in southern Lebanon the day prior. The military stated that its forces were not targeting the Lebanese military but had believed they were attacking a vehicle associated with the Hezbollah militant organization.

Last week, Hezbollah announced it was entering a new phase in its operations against advancing Israeli forces, coinciding with the recent death of Yahya Sinwar, a prominent Hamas leader, in clashes with Israeli troops in Gaza. Sinwar played a crucial role in orchestrating an attack on southern Israel, which significantly intensified the ongoing conflicts across the Middle East.

While Israel’s allies, alongside the strained population of Gaza, have expressed optimism that Sinwar’s demise might lead to a resolution of the hostilities, both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas have reaffirmed their commitments to continue the fight until their respective objectives are met.

Netanyahu has vowed to eradicate Hamas and secure the release of numerous hostages taken by the group. In contrast, Hamas has insisted that it will only free the captives if a lasting ceasefire is established, Israel fully withdraws from Gaza, and Palestinian prisoners are released.

The escalation began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants breached Israel’s security barrier, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities—mostly civilians—and the abduction of around 250 individuals. In retaliation, Israel’s military action in Gaza has claimed the lives of over 42,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not differentiate between combatants and civilians. The ongoing conflict has left significant areas of Gaza in ruins and forced about 90% of its 2.3 million residents to flee their homes.

In the recent developments, the Israeli military confirmed that it conducted strikes that led to the loss of the three Lebanese soldiers, asserting that it was targeting a truck believed to be linked to Hezbollah that had entered a previous strike zone. They clarified that the soldiers did not recognize that they were engaging a vehicle belonging to the Lebanese armed forces.

The Israeli military emphasized it is “not conducting operations against the Lebanese Army and expresses regret for these unintended circumstances.” Although Lebanon’s military holds a respected status domestically, it lacks the strength to assert control over Hezbollah or defend the nation against Israeli incursions. Throughout the past year, the Lebanese army has largely remained neutral as hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah have escalated.

Since the start of October, Israeli forces have launched a ground offensive in southern Lebanon, operating within a restricted area near the border. Israeli airstrikes have targeted numerous sites, which the military claims are associated with Hezbollah.

In retaliation, Hezbollah has unleashed thousands of rockets, missiles, and drones into Israeli territory beginning October 8, 2023, following Hamas’s unexpected assault on Israel that set off the current conflict in Gaza.