The report cited Israeli army sources as saying that a group of Hezbollah guerillas mounted an attack on Maroun al-Ras, which was under control of the Israeli army, and that an Israeli army officer was killed and three soldiers were seriously wounded.

Earlier, the Israeli army announced that eight Israeli soldiers were killed and 22 others wounded in fierce clashes against Hezbollah guerillas near the southern Lebanese border town of Bint Jbeil.

Israel pressed ahead a 15-day-old massive assault against Lebanon's Hezbollah guerillas on Wednesday.

Over 400 Lebanese and 51 Israelis have been killed in the violence.

The conflict erupted when Hezbollah guerillas captured two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others during a July 12 cross-border attack.