Beirut, Oct 1 (IANS): A Lebanese army soldier was killed following injuries sustained in an Israeli drone attack in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese official and military sources.

The sources told Xinhua news agency on Monday that an Israeli drone fired an air-to-surface missile at a motorcycle carrying two individuals near a Lebanese army checkpoint along the Wazzani-Sarda axis, east of southern Lebanon.

"This resulted in the injury of a Lebanese army soldier stationed at the checkpoint, as well as serious injuries to the two Syrian riders on the motorcycle," the sources said, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

The soldier was identified as Youssef Abdel Aal from the southeastern town of Halta.

A Lebanese Red Cross vehicle transported the three injured individuals to Marjeyoun Governmental Hospital, where the soldier's condition suddenly deteriorated during surgery, and he subsequently died, according to Hospital Director Mo'nes Kalakesh.

In a separate incident, two Syrians were killed when their motorcycle was struck by an air-to-ground missile from an Israeli drone at the intersection of the Khiam-Marjeyoun road, the military sources reported.

Also on Monday, the Lebanese Health Ministry's Public Health Emergency Operations Centre updated that Israel's attacks on Ain Ed Delb, east of southern Lebanon, on Sunday resulted in 45 deaths and 70 injuries, while attacks on Hermel, in eastern Lebanon, on Sunday night killed 12 and injured 20.

Since September 23, Israel has intensified airstrikes across Lebanon, culminating in a significant strike on Friday in the southern suburbs of Beirut that reportedly killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and many of his associates.

This escalation has intensified ongoing clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, which began on October 8, 2023, when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza, prompting retaliatory Israeli artillery fire and airstrikes in southeastern Lebanon.