Lebanese Army Says Three Soldiers Killed in Israeli Strike on Vehicle

The Lebanese Army said an Israeli strike on a vehicle in southern Lebanon killed two officers and one soldier on Saturday morning. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed it struck the vehicle after reports of suspicious movement and gunfire in the area.

The military said the vehicle was traveling in an active combat zone where Hezbollah has operated and stated that troop movements there require coordination with its forces.

Background to the Strike Israel has conducted operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon since March. The Lebanese government opposes Hezbollah and has sought to mediate a ceasefire, but it is not in direct conflict with Israel. The strike occurred on a road near the village of Kfar Tebnit, roughly four miles north of the Litani River.

The area has seen intense fighting and displacement in recent months, and Israeli forces have issued evacuation orders there.

The Lebanese Army described the strike as "brutal, deliberate and repeated aggression" and released images of the damaged vehicle. The Israel Defense Forces said its initial investigation confirmed three soldiers were in the vehicle and repeated that its operations target Hezbollah, not the Lebanese Army.

News of the incident followed Hezbollah's rejection of efforts to revive a U.S.-backed ceasefire. That earlier agreement included limits on Hezbollah operations in southern Lebanon and restrictions on attacks into Israel. Lebanon entered the broader conflict on 2 March after Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel.

An initial ceasefire agreed on 16 April did not end the fighting. Israeli strikes have continued in southern Lebanon, with an intensification announced on 26 May.

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[The New York Times] Israeli Strike Kills 3 Lebanese Soldiers, Days After Truce Was Signed Israel invaded Lebanon and occupied parts of the country to fight Hezbollah, an Iran-backed armed group, but its military offensive has drawn in others.