Two Israeli soldiers killed in Lebanon explosion as military announces first deaths since fragile Hezbollah truce
Two Israeli soldiers were killed in an explosion in southern Lebanon on Thursday, marking the first Israeli fatalities since a fragile truce between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah was implemented in June. Four additional soldiers sustained serious injuries, the military said. The deaths had been reported by Israeli media the previous day. An Israeli military official, speaking anonymously in line with army policy, stated that "an explosion was detonated" as the soldiers entered a site in the village of Majdal Zoun, adding that the nature of the explosive device was under investigation. The Israeli army launched strikes across southern Lebanon on Wednesday in response, citing Hezbollah’s violation of the ceasefire. For the first time in weeks, Israel issued a warning for residents of the village of Mansouri to evacuate. Hezbollah did not immediately issue a statement regarding the incident. This escalation occurred as Lebanese and Israeli negotiators were meeting in Rome to discuss the implementation of a 26 June agreement. This deal stipulates that Israeli forces would withdraw from occupied areas in southern Lebanon, allowing the Lebanese army to assume control, in exchange for Hezbollah’s disarmament. Wednesday’s talks concluded prematurely due to the heightened tensions on the ground, though they were scheduled to resume Thursday. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported one person killed and 12 wounded in an Israeli strike on the town of Tebnine on Wednesday. The state-run National News Agency also reported further injuries from overnight strikes in the village of Burj al-Shemali, though the exact number remained unclear. Artillery shelling also targeted the areas of Mansouri and Majdal Zoun. The latest conflict between Israel and Hezbollah began on 2 March, when Hezbollah launched rockets across the border two days after the U.S. and Israel initiated attacks on Iran. Since then, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed over 4,000 people, including hundreds of civilians. On the Israeli side, approximately 40 soldiers and three civilians, including a military contractor, have died. While a precarious truce between Israel and Hezbollah has largely held since 20 June, Israeli forces have continued to occupy swathes of southern Lebanon and conduct periodic airstrikes and shelling. The Rome talks have focused on establishing "pilot zones" where Israeli forces would withdraw and the Lebanese army would take control. Implementation began last month with an initial pilot zone in an area not occupied by Israeli forces but previously subjected to Israeli fire. The Lebanese army entered the town of Zawtar al-Gharbieh, and some civilians returned, though many found their homes destroyed and subsequently left again. A diplomat familiar with the negotiations, who spoke anonymously, indicated earlier this week that Lebanon had requested Khiam or Bint Jbeil for new pilot zones. Both areas experienced intense fighting in the recent conflict and are currently occupied by Israeli forces. However, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa cautioned ahead of the three-day talks that no new pilot zones would be immediately implemented, stating that "moving too quickly risks jeopardizing the very civilians this process is meant to protect."
