Beirut: An Israeli military officer was killed on Saturday when an explosive-laden drone detonated in southern Lebanon. The Israeli army said in a statement that "24-year-old Captain Maoz Israel Recanati, a platoon commander in the Golani Brigade's 12th Battalion, was killed in clashes in southern Lebanon."

According to Anadolu Agency, Recanati was killed by a drone strike. He is the 20th Israeli soldier killed in Lebanon since the start of the war with Iran on February 28 and the 7th since the ceasefire began on April 16. This marks the second officer whose death Israel has announced in the past 24 hours in the fighting with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah's drone attacks on Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon have become a significant issue for Tel Aviv, which now considers them among "the most complex and dangerous security challenges facing its forces." The ongoing drone threat has prompted the Israeli government to hold an emergency consultation with senior security officials to discuss strategies to counter the increasing danger posed by Hezbollah drones.

Despite a ceasefire announced on April 17 and extended until early July, the Israeli army continues daily strikes in Lebanon and exchanges of fire with Hezbollah. Since March 2, Israeli attacks in Lebanon have resulted in over 2,896 deaths, more than 8,824 injuries, and the displacement of over 1.6 million people, which accounts for about one-fifth of the country's population, as reported by Lebanese officials.