1.   If the Israeli fatality is confirmed, it will bring to nine the number of Israeli soldiers killed in southern Lebanon this year.

2.   In Jerusalem, the Israeli army declined to comment on the exchange or on the reported Israeli fatality.

3.   The death was the fifth Israeli fatality in southern Lebanon in less than two weeks.

4.   The killing is the second Israeli military fatality along the Israeli-Lebanese border since Israel withdrew from south Lebanon last May.

5.   The soldier was the fifth Israeli fatality in less than two weeks in South Lebanon, the last active Israeli-Arab warfront.

6.   These were the first Israeli combat fatalities in Lebanon since Prime Minister Ehud Barak took office in July and are likely to increase calls in Israel for a withdrawal.

7.   These first Israeli combat fatalities in Lebanon since Prime Minister Ehud Barak took office in July are likely to increase calls in Israel for a withdrawal.

8.   Two Israeli soldiers were killed in clashes with guerrillas in Tuesday in south Lebanon, the first Israeli fatalities there since Prime Minister Ehud Barak took office in July.

9.   They were the first Israeli fatalities in the fighting.

10.   It was not immediately known if the dead, the first Israeli fatalities in the fighting which erupted Wednesday, were soldiers or settlers.