Israeli Strike Kills Three Lebanese Soldiers After Hezbollah Rejects Truce, Continues Border Attacks

An Israeli strike killed three Lebanese soldiers when it hit a military vehicle traveling between Khardali and Nabatieh on Saturday. The Lebanese army said the victims were two officers and one soldier. It described the attack as a deliberate and repeated act of aggression aimed at undermining efforts to reach a solution.

A conditional truce deal announced after Lebanese-Israeli talks in Washington this week required Hezbollah to stop firing, withdraw from the border area, and allow the Lebanese army to deploy to new pilot zones. Hezbollah rejected the agreement hours later and demanded a full Israeli withdrawal.

Its chief called the strike a heinous crime and accused the Lebanese government of exposing the country to bloodshed through complete surrender to the enemy's demands.

The Israeli military said the targeted vehicle was moving suspiciously in an active combat zone where residents had been ordered to evacuate. It stated that it operates against Hezbollah and not against the Lebanese army, and that it is reviewing the incident.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called the strike a flagrant violation of Lebanese sovereignty despite Lebanon's efforts in the Washington negotiations.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam described it as a heinous crime and an attack on Lebanon and all Lebanese people. A ceasefire intended for April was never observed. Lebanon has vowed to disarm Hezbollah over time.

Israel's campaign has killed nearly 3,600 people according to Lebanon's health ministry. On Saturday, Israel renewed evacuation orders for five villages south and east of the Zahrani River and reported striking about 150 Hezbollah targets in the past two days. Hezbollah said it targeted Israeli troops and an artillery position near the border.

The Israeli military announced the deaths of two of its soldiers on Saturday, bringing its total killed since March 2 to 29. Lebanese army chief Rodolphe Haykal traveled to Pakistan on Saturday at the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart to support mediation efforts between Iran and the United States.