Israeli troops kill two civilians in Lebanon after ceasefire lull

Wed Jun 24 2026 10:09:19 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

During a brief lull following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon shot two locals, sparking a new flare of violence.

In the first fatal incident after a temporary ceasefire, Israeli forces killed two civilians in Nabatieh al-Fawqa, Lebanon. Local authorities say the victims were part of a medical relief team clearing rubble. Hezbollah condemned the shooting as a breach of the ceasefire while Israel alleged the civilians were on a bulldozer that also carried suspected fighters. The incident follows days of heavy fighting over the strategically important Ali al‑Taher ridge. With tensions high, Israel pledged it would remain in southern Lebanon “as long as necessary.”

The first deaths reported since a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah were two Lebanese civilians killed by Israeli soldiers near Nabatieh al‑Fawqa. The Lebanese state–run news agency said the victims, Mohammed Amhaz and Sajed al‑Hajj Ali, were standing next to a bulldozer clearing rubble when Israeli troops opened fire. The bulldozer was part of an emergency medical unit linked to Hezbollah, which also carried the two men on a team from the Islamic Health Association.

Israel’s army claimed the soldiers fired at four people it identified as Hezbollah attackers who were riding a bulldozer and a motorcycle, and warned they had crossed into an Israeli‑declared “security zone.” The military also reported shooting at a separate group of militants north of the zone, showing a photo of a man holding a rifle.

Haunted by weeks of fighting, the ceasefire has not yet settled, and the United Nations and U.S. officials are debating a longer‑term peace plan while Lebanese and Israeli officials meet in Washington to discuss further arrangements. Hezbollah has denounced the shooting as a blatant ceasefire violation, while Israel said it had “full freedom of action” against any threat.

The Iranian ambassador to the U.N. flagged the violence as dangerous for broader diplomatic talks that linked Lebanon to a recent U.S.–Iran agreement. He warned that any violation of the ceasefire could derail worldwide efforts to stabilize the region.

Historically, Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in protest of a strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader, prompting Israeli air campaigns and a partial invasion of southern Lebanon. The health ministry reports at least 4,192 people have died as a result of Israeli actions, and more than a million residents have been displaced since the conflict began.