Israel military says it is unaware of clash with Hezbollah on Syria border

Hezbollah claimed its fighters engaged Israeli troops near the Syria-Lebanon border, but the Israeli military said it was unaware of any clash. Tensions remain high following a recent Israeli airborne raid in eastern Lebanon.

Reuters

9 March 2026 at 14:32:29

Israeli soldiers gather near vehicles on Israeli side of the Israel-Lebanon border, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in northern Israel, March 9, 2026

Amir Cohen/Reuters

The Israeli military on Monday said that it was unaware of any clash with Hezbollah fighters in eastern Lebanon, after the Iran-backed Lebanese group said it had fought Israeli soldiers approaching from Syria.

Hezbollah said in a statement that its fighters had observed 15 helicopters flying over eastern Lebanon just after midnight, dropping Israeli troops who were observed approaching Lebanese territory from an area on the Syrian side of the border.

It said that its fighters "confronted the helicopters and the infiltrating forces with appropriate weapons". The Israeli military, however, said that it was unaware of any such incident.

Reuters was unable to immediately verify Hezbollah's account.

The Israeli military carried out an airborne raid in the same area, near the village of Nabi Chit, overnight Friday-Saturday in what it said was a mission to seek the remains of a soldier missing since 1986. Lebanon's Health Ministry said 41 people were killed in the Israeli raid.

-Reporting by Alexander Cornwell in tel Aviv and Maya Gebeily in Beirut; Writing by Maayan Lubell; Editing by Kirsten Donovan/Reuters