An Israeli soldier was killed and another moderately wounded when an explosive device went off near an army patrol in the western sector of the security zone in southern Lebanon on Tuesday.
The Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement claimed responsibility for setting off Tuesday’s explosion, which killed Staff Sgt. Avi Abouksis, 20, from the city of Dimona in the Negev.
The wounded soldier was flown by helicopter to Haifa’s Rambam Hospital. In a separate incident, an Israeli soldier was lightly wounded in clashes with Hezbollah gunmen in the eastern sector of the security zone.
The Hezbollah attacks coincided with a visit to the region by U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher, who was here in an effort to jump-start stalled negotations between Israel and Syria.
Hezbollah traditionally steps up its attacks against Israelis during such diplomatic visits.
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