BEIRUT, Aug 6: Two Israeli soldiers were killed during combat operations in southern Lebanon, marking the first Israeli military fatalities since a fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group came into effect in June, the Israeli military said on Thursday.
The military said four other soldiers were injured in the same incident. The deaths had been reported by Israeli media a day earlier.
The incident comes amid renewed tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border. On Wednesday, the Israeli military carried out airstrikes in southern Lebanon, accusing Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire agreement. It also issued an evacuation warning for residents of the village of Mansouri, the first such alert in Lebanon in several weeks.
Hezbollah did not immediately comment on the Israeli allegations or the strikes.
The escalation coincided with talks in Rome between Lebanese and Israeli negotiators aimed at implementing the June 26 ceasefire agreement. Under the deal, Israeli forces are expected to withdraw from areas they occupy in southern Lebanon, allowing the Lebanese Army to assume control, while Hezbollah is expected to disarm.
The latest conflict between Israel and Hezbollah began on March 2, when Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel two days after the United States and Israel carried out attacks on Iran.
Although a truce has largely held since June 20, Israeli forces have continued to maintain positions in parts of southern Lebanon and have conducted periodic airstrikes and artillery shelling in the area.
