In a sudden escalation, Israeli soldiers shot dead two civilians in the southern Lebanese town of Nabatieh al‑Fawqa, moments after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect. The Lebanese Health Ministry identified the victims as Mohammed Amhaz and Sajed al‑Hajj Ali, who were standing near a bulldozer clearing roads when they were struck.
Israel’s military said the soldiers fired on “four Hezbollah terrorists riding a bulldozer and a motorcycle” that it claimed posed a threat, noting that the militants had crossed into the Israeli‑declared “security zone.” The troops also reported a separate engagement north of the zone, in which they said a Hezbollah cell was intercepted but no casualties were reported.
Hezbollah immediately condemned the shootings as “a blatant violation of the ceasefire,” labeling the act a violation of its adherence to the agreement. The group’s Islamic Resistance wing said it would consider retaliation, though no hostile action was taken in the hours that followed.
The incident comes after a calm that had stretched a few days following an agreement in Washington that aimed to halt hostilities that had begun earlier this year when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel over an Iranian strike. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said soldiers would remain in Lebanon “as long as is necessary” to defend against terrorist threats.
Since hostilities began in March, the Lebanese Health Ministry reports at least 4,192 people have died in Israeli air strikes, and more than 1.2 million residents have been displaced. Iran’s ambassador to the UN called the ceasefire a crucial step, warning that violations could derail broader diplomatic progress.
This brief flare‑up highlights how fragile the ceasefire remains, with tensions still simmering on both sides as they navigate what to do next in a conflict that has deep regional implications.
