Israel has sentenced two of its soldiers to military prison after an incident involving the desecration of a Christian religious object in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces are operating as part of ongoing cross-border conflict.

Four Israeli soldiers were killed on Saturday in the northern Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement, News.az reports citing Reuters.

An initial investigation by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) indicates that the soldiers were taken by surprise by three Hezbollah militants hiding in a building. The militants launched grenades and opened fire, which led to a fire that caused the structure to collapse.