Two Israeli soldiers were killed and four others seriously wounded in southern Lebanon on Thursday when an explosion went off as they entered a site in the village of Majdal Zoun, the Israeli military reported. This marks the first Israeli military fatalities since a fragile truce with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah began nearly two months ago. The two soldiers who died have been identified as company commander Harel Birenstock, 34, and combat soldier Tamir Vaknin, 33, both reservists. The exact nature of the explosive device remains under investigation.
In response to the incident, the Israeli army conducted strikes in southern Lebanon, targeting several areas including the town of Tebnine, the villages of Burj al-Shemali, Mansouri, and Majdal Zoun. Israeli forces also issued warnings for civilians in Mansouri to evacuate, the first such advisory in weeks. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that one person was killed and 12 others injured in the strike on Tebnine, while eight additional individuals were wounded in attacks on Burj al-Shemali. The state-run National News Agency confirmed that artillery shelling took place in Mansouri and Majdal Zoun as well. Hezbollah, backed by Iran, did not issue any immediate comment regarding the explosion or the Israeli strikes.
The recent violence takes place amid ongoing tensions since the outbreak of the latest conflict on March 2, 2026, when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israeli territory shortly after American and Israeli strikes targeted Iran. The conflict since then has resulted in more than 4,000 deaths in Lebanon, including hundreds of civilians, while Israel has lost around 40 soldiers and three civilians, including a military contractor.
Although a tenuous ceasefire has largely been observed since June 20, Israeli forces continue to hold portions of southern Lebanon, conducting periodic airstrikes and shelling in the area. This latest escalation coincides with negotiations between Lebanese and Israeli officials in Rome aimed at implementing a June 26 agreement. Under the deal, Israeli troops are to withdraw from occupied areas in southern Lebanon, allowing the Lebanese army to assume control, in exchange for Hezbollah’s disarmament. However, Hezbollah has refused to disarm and opposes direct talks between Lebanon and Israel, criticizing the Lebanese government for perceived concessions without guarantees of an Israeli withdrawal.
Negotiations in Rome have been interrupted by the fighting but are expected to resume. Discussions have included the establishment of “pilot zones” where Israeli forces would pull back to allow Lebanese government control. The first pilot zone was implemented last month, though it involved an area not currently occupied by Israel but previously subject to Israeli fire. Lebanon has proposed new pilot zones in towns such as Khiam or Bint Jbeil, both areas which saw heavy combat during the recent war and remain under Israeli military presence. Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa cautioned against rapid implementation of new zones, warning that hasty moves could jeopardize civilian safety.
The UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL, reported that the Israeli military launched 113 projectiles on Wednesday, underscoring the recent surge in hostilities amid efforts to stabilize the region through diplomatic channels.