At least 22 Israeli soldiers were wounded in fierce battles with Hezbollah fighters around the Lebanese border town of Bint Jbeil on Wednesday, an army spokeswoman said.
"I can confirm that 22 soldiers were wounded in the fighting in Bint Jbeil," she told AFP, adding that three were in serious condition.
It was the toughest day of fighting since Israeli ground forces crossed the border into southern Lebanon last week, intensifying the massive offensive launched two weeks ago following the capture of two soldiers by Hezbollah.
Israeli ground forces have been meeting heavy resistance over the past few days around Bint Jbeil, the main town in the area where Hezbollah has a military headquarters.
The Arabic news channel Al-Jazeera has said at least 13 soldiers were killed.
