At least 8 Israeli troops killed in combat with Hezbollah in Lebanon

Israeli forces have reported that eight of its troops, including an army captain, were killed on Wednesday in clashes with Hezbollah fighters after crossing the border into Lebanon.

The Israeli military initially reported that army captain Eitan Itzhak was "killed in action", marking the first Israeli combat loss in its ground invasion in Lebanon.

The army later announced that seven more soldiers had died.

Pan-Arab media outlets, including The New Arab's Arabic language edition Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, reported a higher death toll of at least 11 soldiers killed and dozens more injured, including three in critical condition.

Israeli media sources reported the killing of an Israeli soldier from the Egoz unit of the army's 98th Division - also known as the "Fire Formation" focused on guerrilla warfare.

Later, Israeli media reported that the death toll had risen to three soldiers before relaying the statement by the Israeli military admitting to the death of 8 soldiers.

Israel has imposed a strict gag order on local media reporting on its operations on the border with Lebanon.

Hezbollah said in a statement that a "large number" of Israeli soldiers were killed during direct clashes in Adaisseh and Maroun al-Ras in southern Lebanon, accusing Israeli forces of "concealing its casualties".

In another statement, the group said it had destroyed three Israeli tanks as they advanced towards a Lebanese border village.

It said it had "destroyed three Merkava tanks with rockets as they advanced towards the village of Maroun al-Ras".

The Lebanese group announced it was engaged in combat with an Israeli infantry force since Israel declared the beginning of its ground invasion of Lebanon early on Tuesday.

The New Arab reported earlier that three helicopters were seen transporting wounded Israeli troops to the Ramban Hospital near Haifa.

The Lebanese army said Israeli forces had advanced some 400 meters (yards) across the border and withdrew “after a short period,” its first confirmation of the incursion.

Israeli strikes have killed over 1,000 people in Lebanon over the past two weeks, nearly a quarter of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry.