Israeli Soldiers Kill Two in Southern Lebanon Amid Lull in Fighting
In the town of Nabatieh al‑Fawqa, Lebanon, two people were shot dead by Israeli troops while they were standing near a bulldozer that was clearing a road. The incident, described by the Lebanese health ministry, marks the first fatal attack reported since a new ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was declared over the weekend.
The two victims, identified by the National News Agency as Mohammed Amhaz and Sajed al‑Hajj Ali, were working with a team from the Islamic Health Association, an emergency service linked to Hezbollah, during an operation to reopen roads and recover bodies from rubble in the al‑Deir neighbourhood.
Hezbollah condemned the shooting as "a blatant violation of the ceasefire", while Israeli officials said their soldiers had fired at a group of four Hezbollah militants on a bulldozer and a motorcycle after they entered the so‑called security zone and disregarded warning shots. Israeli troops also reportedly struck an armed cell north of the zone, though no casualties were confirmed.
The ceasefire has largely held since Sunday, providing a rare lull in an otherwise intense clash that grew out of the broader US‑Israel‑Iran conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that his forces will remain in Lebanon "as long as is necessary" to counter any Hezbollah threat. Meanwhile, Iranian officials have urged the United States to use its leverage to keep Israel from breaking the truce.
