Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon on Jan. 26, 2025. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient-Le Jour)
The Israeli army announced Thursday that two of its soldiers died during an incident the previous day in southern Lebanon, its first fatalities in more than a month, as talks between Lebanon and Israel under U.S. sponsorship continue in Rome.
Two Israeli reserve soldiers were killed Wednesday in Majdal Zoun (Sour district) after an improvised explosive device exploded, according to a statement issued overnight by the Israeli army. "During the incident in which Major Harel Birenstock and Chief Warrant Officer Tamir Vaknin fell, four Israeli army reserve soldiers were seriously wounded. The fighters were evacuated to receive medical treatment and their families were notified," the statement said.
News of the incident began circulating Wednesday in Israeli media, after which the Israeli army accused Hezbollah of a "serious violation" of the cease-fire. Through its Arabic-language spokesperson, Ella Waweya, the army later announced several strikes on southern Lebanon, as well as a forced evacuation order for the village of Mansouri (Sour district), the first such order since mid-June. "In light of the cease-fire agreement violations by Hezbollah, the Israeli army is compelled to intervene with force ... For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately," she wrote on X in a message addressed to Mansouri residents.
Contacted by our publication, Hezbollah did not confirm responsibility for the incident.
The two soldiers are the first Israeli fatalities in southern Lebanon since June 28, according to the Israeli army's website.
Another drone strike in Tibnin (Bint Jbeil district) killed at least one person and wounded 12 others, according to a preliminary report from the Health Ministry released Wednesday evening.
Population movements were also reported in Mansouri and other villages in the Sour district following the increase in Israeli strikes.
The renewed escalation in southern Lebanon comes amid ongoing U.S.-mediated talks in Rome between Lebanon and Israel on the continued implementation of "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon under the framework agreement signed by the two countries on June 26.
