After an uneasy lull that lasted only a day since Israel and Hezbollah announced a ceasefire, a single fatal incident unfolded in southern Lebanon. Israeli soldiers opened fire on a bulldozer convoy near Nabatieh al‑Fawqa, killing two civilians and igniting a sharp rebuke from Hezbollah.
The Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed the deaths of Mohamed Amhaz and Sajed al‑Hajj Ali, who were standing near the bulldozer when the Israeli forces fired. According to Israel’s military, the convoy comprised four Hezbollah militants riding a bulldozer and a motorcycle, who allegedly ignored warning shots and posed a threat to the soldiers’ operation in the Ali al‑Taher ridge area, a contested foothold for Israeli troops.
Hezbollah’s Islamic Resistance wing condemned what it described as a “blatant violation of the ceasefire.” Their statement highlights how rare such breaches are given the apparent strategic restraint that has characterized the latest truce. The Israeli military, meanwhile, releases a photo of a captured “cell of armed terrorists” north of the security zone, though it reported no casualties in that engagement.
The incident comes at a time when the ceasefire has largely held, marking the longest lull in weeks of escalating hostilities that spilled over from the broader US‑Israeli‑Iran conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that Israeli troops “have full freedom of action against any Hezbollah threat” and will remain in Lebanon until the situation is secure.
The deaths have deepened tensions between the warring parties and highlight the precarious nature of the ceasefire underlined by diplomatic efforts in Washington aimed at a comprehensive peace and security agreement between Israel and Lebanon. Iran’s ambassador to the UN warned that any violation could derail wider diplomatic progress, emphasizing Lebanon’s role within the broader agreement.
