Another Israeli military officer has been killed in the ongoing conflict in southern Lebanon, raising the total number of Israeli military fatalities to 20 since the outbreak of the war on March 2.

The Israeli military released the identity of the deceased officer on Saturday, naming him as 24-year-old Captain Maoz Israel Recanati.

A resident of the Itamar settlement in the occupied West Bank, he served as a platoon commander in the 12th Battalion of the Golani Brigade. He was posthumously promoted from lieutenant to captain.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah claimed in a series of statements that it targeted Israeli soldiers, tanks, bulldozers, and military vehicles across various sectors in southern Lebanon.

Concurrently, Israeli forces launched airstrikes and artillery shelling targeting several villages in the southern Lebanese districts of Tyre, Bint Jbeil, and Nabatieh.

According to data from the Lebanese Ministry of Health, Israeli attacks since March 2 have left at least 2,969 people dead and 9,112 others injured.

On Saturday, Hezbollah explicitly rejected a potential peace deal, accusing Lebanese authorities of making concessions under pressure from the United States. According to the group, engaging in direct negotiations with Israel would legitimize the occupation and its "ambitions" over Lebanese territory and resources.

Instead of the proposed peace accord, Hezbollah demanded a total withdrawal of Israeli troops, a complete cessation of all hostilities, the release of prisoners, and unconditional reconstruction.

Notably, during the third round of talks held in Washington on May 15, Lebanon and Israel agreed to extend the ceasefire for 45 days. Both sides also resolved to convene for a fourth round of negotiations aimed at reaching a permanent peace agreement.
Source: Al Jazeera