Airstrikes across southern and eastern Lebanon

The Israeli military conducted air strikes across five locations in southern and eastern Lebanon on 4 September, following a drone attack launched by Hezbollah toward Israeli soldiers. The Lebanese Health Ministry stated that at least three people were killed and 23 wounded across the southern regions of Tyre and Nabatieh, as well as the eastern Bekaa valley. In the city of Nabatieh, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported that two young men died when a strike hit their motorcycle. Rescuers transported their bodies to a local medical center. Another strike hit a residential house in the village of Rmadiyeh, located more than 10 kilometers from the Israeli border, which was housing displaced families from southern areas. The Rmadiyeh strike killed one person and wounded 15 others, including two children, three women, and six emergency rescue workers.

Tunnel clearance on the Ali al-Taher ridge

Alongside the airstrikes, Israeli operations focused on the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military stated that it established operational control over the ridge and cleared underground tunnels where Hezbollah fighters had maintained positions, weapons storage, and a command center. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that the military sought to prevent Hezbollah from regrouping in the area.

“The mission was completed and the tunnels were cleared of terrorists.”

Hezbollah did not issue an immediate comment confirming the loss of the ridge. The military reported that some fighters were killed during the operation while others fled. The confrontation around the ridge developed despite a framework agreement reached between Israel and Lebanon in June.

Prisoner release mediated by the Red Cross

Concurrently with military engagements, Israel released five Lebanese citizens in a handover mediated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The transfer began on 3 September with the release of 22-year-old Malek Ghazi, who had been detained by an Israeli patrol in October 2025. On the morning of 4 September, four additional Lebanese detainees crossed the border at Naqoura in an ICRC convoy before being transferred to a Lebanese army barracks in Tyre. Among the freed men were Hussein Ayash from Harouf and Mohammed Juheir, a fisherman from Naqoura. The Israeli Prime Minister's office stated that interrogations determined the five individuals had no links to militant groups or terrorist activities.

“Many families in Lebanon are still waiting for answers about the fate of loved ones who may be detained, deceased or otherwise unaccounted for.”

Ongoing diplomatic efforts and detention disputes

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun thanked international bodies and the United States, citing efforts under President Donald Trump to facilitate the handover. Aoun characterized the released individuals as a first batch. Government sources in Beirut report that approximately three dozen Lebanese citizens remain in Israeli detention, over half of whom are civilians. On 4 September, local reports in Lebanon indicated that Israeli forces entered a border hamlet at dawn, searched homes, and detained 15 individuals, later moving three to an undisclosed location. The ICRC noted that its representatives have not had access to Lebanese detainees held inside Israel since October 2023.