In a rare apology, Israeli Defence Forces on Wednesday expressed regret at an inadvertent attack in which a Lebanese soldier was killed while it targeted a Hezbollah-linked post and said the incident is under review.

Clashes at Israel’s northern border with Lebanon have intensified with regular exchanges of fire since the war broke out in Gaza between Hamas militants and Israel on October 7.

Israeli forces have mainly responded to attacks from the Shia faction Hezbollah, backed by Iran, which has claimed that it was unaware of the October 7 attack, calling its origin and execution local.

In addresses to supporters, the faction’s leader Hasan Nasrallah has distanced his organisation and its Iranian masters from any responsibility in the October 7 incident but expressed support for Hamas raising fears of a possible wider conflagration in the region.

Israel has issued stern warnings but taken every possible step to keep the escalation at its northern border in check. It has also evacuated several communities and townships close to the northern border.

“An army military position in the………was bombarded by the Israeli enemy, leaving one soldier martyred and three others injured,” the Lebanese army said in a statement.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) in posts from its handle on social media platform X said that it “acted to neutralise a tangible threat” earlier today identified at a Hezbollah launch and observation post along the border.

In another post, it said that “the IDF received a report that a number of soldiers in Lebanon’s army were injured during the attack”.