Israeli strikes hit south Lebanon after soldier deaths shatter two-month ceasefire

First soldier deaths since June truce

Two Israeli soldiers were killed and seven wounded, one critically, when an improvised device detonated inside a booby-trapped building in the southern Lebanese village of Majdal Zoun on Wednesday, 5 August. The soldiers had entered a civilian home during a search operation when the device exploded. These were the first Israeli military casualties since the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah began in June. The IDF was investigating whether the device had been left by Hezbollah fighters when they withdrew or planted more recently by militants re-entering the village.

The Israeli army called the blast a "blatant violation" of the ceasefire and announced it had begun striking southern Lebanon in response. Over the following 24 hours, the IDF said it hit Hezbollah weapons depots, command centres, and other infrastructure across the south. The Israeli army fired 113 projectiles into southern Lebanon on Wednesday, the highest number recorded since 21 June, according to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Strikes hit civilian areas

An Israeli airstrike hit the roof of a prayer area in the cemetery of the town of Tebnine, killing one person. Lebanon's National News Agency put the wounded at 11, while Lebanon's Health Ministry put the figure at 12. Israeli air strikes on the town of Burj Shemali, roughly 5km from Tyre, wounded eight people, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. Three additional strikes were launched between the towns of al-Mansouri and Majdal Zoun. One air strike destroyed a civilian home, according to Al Jazeera correspondent Zeina Khodr.

Progress in negotiations has been limited, and many here doubt the ceasefire will hold.

Since 2 March, Israel's military escalation in Lebanon has killed 4,333 people and injured more than 12,000, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war in March with rocket fire at Israel in support of its backer Iran. Israel responded with heavy air strikes and a ground invasion.

Rome talks cut short

The seventh round of US-brokered direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel was under way in Rome when the fighting erupted. A US State Department official said the round "concluded at 15.30 Rome time" and that "talks ended early due to events on the ground, but will reconvene tomorrow morning." The session had been the third and final day of the round.

The June framework deal centres on Hezbollah's disarmament, a gradual Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, and deployment of the Lebanese army, starting in two "pilot zones." The Lebanese army began deploying to the first pilot zone on 21 July. Israel has refused to withdraw from additional areas unless the Lebanese army demonstrates full control of the initial two zones. A Lebanese presidential source said the talks had "not yielded definitive results regarding the pilot zones," while a US State Department spokesperson called them "productive." Agreement was reached on a "shortlist" of countries that might oversee implementation.

An Israeli official said the plan's expansion was "not automatic" and would only grow if the Israeli government sees results. "Since the pilot began only about two weeks ago, it is still too early to assess its performance. Therefore, at this stage, there is no immediate expectation that it will be expanded," the official said. The mandate of UNIFIL, the UN peacekeeping force, expires at the end of this year, adding urgency to finding an international monitoring force.

Hezbollah rejects negotiations

Hezbollah has repeatedly rejected the direct negotiations and refuses to surrender its weapons. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said the talks would bring Lebanon "nothing but shame, humiliation, and successive compromises." Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam blamed the group for dragging the country into war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed the army had targeted a tunnel system near Beaufort Castle, a UNESCO-listed heritage site, that formed part of a Hezbollah infiltration plan for the Galilee. No evidence of the tunnels has been provided. Israeli forces have detonated multiple explosions near the site in recent weeks. The Lebanese army announced its deployment to al-Mansouri to reopen roads, but the Lebanese-Israeli "Mechanism Committee" halted the mission, according to village mayor Haidar Madihli. The Israeli army considers the village a "restricted military zone."