Two Israeli soldiers were killed in an explosion during a security operation in southern Lebanon.
Israel launched retaliatory strikes as Israeli and Lebanese officials continued security talks in Rome.
Lebanon said one person was killed in Tibnin after an Israeli strike following an evacuation warning.
Israel Strikes South Lebanon After Two Soldiers Killed As Rome Security Talks Continue
Israel launched retaliatory strikes in southern Lebanon after two soldiers were killed in an explosion during a security operation, even as Israeli and Lebanese officials held US-backed talks in Rome to ease border tensions.
Summary
Israel carried out retaliatory strikes in southern Lebanon after two of its soldiers were killed during an operation near the border, even as Israeli and Lebanese officials continued a fresh round of security talks in Rome aimed at easing hostilities along the border.
The renewed violence comes as both sides remain engaged in negotiations despite continued military activity along the border. According to Reuters, the talks began in Rome on Tuesday and are expected to continue through Thursday, following a US-brokered security arrangement reached in June that was intended to ease hostilities between Israel and Lebanon.
Despite the ceasefire, Israel has maintained a buffer zone in southern Lebanon, where its troops continue to operate to eliminate what it says is the threat posed by the Iran-backed group Hezbollah along its border.
According to Reuters, the two Israeli soldiers were killed and four others wounded when an explosion occurred inside a building they had entered as part of a security sweep. Israel's Army Radio reported on Thursday, citing a security source, that it remained unclear whether the explosive device had been planted before or after the ceasefire took effect.
The Israeli military initially described the incident on Wednesday as "a blatant ceasefire violation" by Hezbollah and launched a series of retaliatory strikes in southern Lebanon.
However, Reuters reported that Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, in a statement on Thursday mourning the soldiers, did not mention Hezbollah or any ceasefire violation. The Israeli military's website shows the previous Israeli soldier killed in southern Lebanon died on June 28.
Meanwhile, Lebanon's health ministry said one person was killed and 12 others were wounded in an Israeli strike on the southern town of Tibnin, about 25 km (15 miles) from Mansouri. The strike came after the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for Tibnin, marking its first online warning for Lebanon in more than a month.
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