An Israeli soldier seriously wounded by Hezbollah fire earlier Thursday died in the afternoon, bringing the day's death toll of Israeli soldiers to three in the fighting in southern Lebanon, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told Xinhua.

IDF said earlier that two Israeli soldiers were killed and two others were wounded Thursday by a Hezbollah anti-tank missile when operating in southern Lebanon.

Among the wounded Israeli soldiers, one was critically injured and the other moderately. They were air-lifted to Rambam Hospital in Haifa and treated in the emergency room.

The soldiers died of his wound belonged to an armored battalion of the 188th Armored Brigade, working in conjunction with Reserve Brigade 609, also known as the Alexandroni Brigade, one of Israel's most elite wartime units, the IDF told Xinhua later in the afternoon.

Hezbollah's anti-tank weapons poses one of the most complex threat to IDF troops in southern Lebanon. These missiles can neutralize tank shields and destroy Israel's advanced tanks, according to media reports.

Meanwhile, eight Israelis, five in Acre and three near Ma'alot, were also killed and dozens wounded in massive rocket attacks by Hezbollah on Thursday in northern Israel.

Source: Xinhua