The Israeli military said it killed several Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon overnight, while an Israeli soldier was moderately injured during operations in the area despite a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon.
Troops spotted several Hezbollah fighters inside what Israel calls a security zone in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces remain deployed, and carried out strikes after identifying them. “Following the identification, the soldiers struck the terrorists and eliminated them in order to remove the threat,” the military said, adding that Israeli forces would continue operations to prevent threats to their troops and Israeli civilians. The wounded soldier was evacuated to a hospital for treatment.
The violence comes despite a US-backed framework agreement signed by Lebanon and Israel in late June aimed at ending hostilities. Under the agreement, Lebanon’s army is expected to disarm Hezbollah, while Israeli forces are to withdraw from designated pilot zones inside Lebanon, allowing Lebanese troops to deploy there. Hezbollah has rejected the framework and refused to give up its weapons, and there is no fixed timeline for a complete Israeli withdrawal.
Since the Israel-Hezbollah war erupted in early March, Israel’s military has reported 38 soldiers and one civilian contractor killed. Hezbollah has not claimed responsibility for any attacks since June 20. The overnight clash was among the most serious incidents reported along the border in recent days, with the IDF also announcing it had detonated 700 tons of explosives at Beaufort Ridge as part of operations against a Hezbollah tunnel network in the area.
Lebanon’s army last week criticized continued Israeli military activity, saying it was hindering the deployment of its forces under the agreement. Despite a decline in violence following a preliminary US-Iran agreement in June and the Lebanon-Israel deal, Lebanon continues to report intermittent Israeli strikes and artillery fire in the south, and the UN has described Israeli demolitions in the area as deeply concerning.
The overnight clash underscores the fragility of the ceasefire framework and the risk that localized incidents could escalate as both sides maintain forces along the border. Israeli officials have repeatedly said they will keep troops in the security zone until the Lebanese army is able to enforce the agreement, while Hezbollah insists it will not disarm while Israeli forces remain on Lebanese soil.
The incident comes as Israel remains on high alert over the wider Iran conflict, with the IDF raising its alert level as world leaders await a US decision on possible further strikes on Iran. Analysts say any major escalation in Lebanon would open a second front and complicate efforts to stabilize the region.
Sources: Firstpost, The Times of Israel
Author: Middle East Desk
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