Israeli soldiers shot dead two people in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese health ministry said, marking the first fatal incident since the ceasefire agreement appeared to hold at the weekend.
Lebanon’s state‑run National News Agency reported that the murders occurred near a bulldozer clearing a road in Nabatieh al‑Fawqa. Hezbollah called the shooting a blatant breach of the ceasefire, while Israeli officials said the troops had fired on “four Hezbollah terrorists riding a bulldozer and a motorcycle” that posed a threat.
Israeli forces had been fighting to seize the strategic Ali al‑Taher ridge, where they believe a Hezbollah “underground military fortress” exists. In the days leading up to the ceasefire, an earlier Hezbollah attack killed four Israeli soldiers in the village of Kfar Tebnit.
The ceasefire has largely held since Sunday, but the recent killing shows how quickly hostilities can flare. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the army would stay in Lebanon “as long as is necessary” to counter any Hezbollah threat. Meanwhile, Iran’s ambassador to the UN, Ali Bahreini, warned that violations of the ceasefire could derail broader diplomatic efforts.
Since the current wave of hostilities began, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed over 4,000 people, displaced more than 1.2 million, and claimed the lives of 36 Israeli soldiers and four civilians on both sides. The fragile ceasefire continues to be tested as Israel, the US, and Iran move toward a wider peace agreement that includes Lebanon.
