Lebanese President Decries Israeli Strike Killing 3 Lebanese Soldiers
The Israeli military acknowledged striking a Lebanese army vehicle and said it had launched an investigation into the incident.
In an official statement, Aoun denounced what he characterized as an Israeli assault on a Lebanese army patrol along the Khardali-Nabatieh road, which killed two officers and one soldier. He framed the strike as part of a broader pattern of Israeli escalation undermining stability across southern Lebanon, even as diplomatic negotiations continue in Washington to halt such attacks.
Aoun called on the international community to fulfill its obligations, put an end to repeated strikes on Lebanese soil, and uphold relevant international resolutions.
Earlier Saturday, the Lebanese army confirmed that an Israeli strike had hit a military vehicle on the Kfartebnit-Khardali road in the Nabatieh region, killing a brigadier general, a captain, and a soldier.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam did not mince words, describing the strike as "a crime" and an attack against Lebanon and all Lebanese people.
Hezbollah separately condemned the assault as a deliberate act, while also accusing Lebanese authorities of making concessions that it argued had emboldened further Israeli military action.
The Israeli army, for its part, said it had detected a vehicle advancing suspiciously toward its troops near Kfartebnit in what it designated an active combat zone. Military officials said they had received prior warning of gunfire targeting their personnel in the area and that intelligence pointed to significant Hezbollah activity nearby. The vehicle was engaged on the grounds that it posed a direct threat to Israeli forces. A preliminary review confirmed two Lebanese officers and a soldier were inside.
The deadly strike occurred despite a fragile ceasefire in effect since April 17, extended by Washington through early July as diplomatic efforts continue to prevent a renewed outbreak of hostilities. Following four rounds of negotiations in Washington on Thursday, the US, Lebanon, and Israel jointly announced a declaration of intent encompassing a full halt to Hezbollah fire and the withdrawal of its fighters from areas south of the Litani River.
However, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem flatly rejected the outcome of those talks, saying they were unacceptable to broad segments of the Lebanese population.
The strikes are part of an intensified Israeli military campaign in Lebanon that has been ongoing since March 2, amid the wider regional conflict tied to the war with Iran. Lebanese figures report the campaign has killed 3,558 people, wounded 10,870 others, and displaced more than one million residents.
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