A Lebanese brigadier-general was among three soldiers killed in an Israeli airstrike on a car in southern Lebanon on Saturday, triggering fury from the Lebanese army and deepening a crisis that has refused to yield to US-backed ceasefire efforts.
The attack took place on a road near the village of Kfar Tebnit, around four miles north of the Litani River and close to the city of Nabatieh, where months of intense fighting have driven residents from their homes. The Israel Defense Forces said the vehicle was travelling in an "active and evacuated combat zone" and was "moving suspiciously towards forces", with gunfire reported in the area.
“Israeli airstrike kills a Lebanese general and two soldiers, sparking outrage as ceasefire talks collapse.”
But the Lebanese army, which released images of the burnt-out wreckage, described it as an "aggressive and barbaric" strike. The victims were identified as Brig Gen Samer Sabra, Cpt Elie Khoury, and Pte Hassan Ghazal.
The IDF insisted it was not targeting the Lebanese armed forces. "The IDF is reviewing the incident, and lessons will be learned accordingly. The IDF operates against the Hezbollah terrorist organisation, not against the Lebanese Army," it said in a statement.
The killing came after Hezbollah’s leadership rejected a US-backed ceasefire proposal on Thursday. The agreement, which would have established pilot security zones in southern Lebanon, was called "futile" by Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, despite the Lebanese government’s hope that a truce would allow its forces to disarm the Iran-backed group.
Israel’s air force continued heavy bombardment over the weekend, striking what it called 150 Hezbollah "infrastructure sites", including weapons storage and command centres. On Sunday, Israel said it intercepted two projectiles launched from Lebanon towards northern Israel, and warned residents of the southern Lebanese city of Tyre to evacuate ahead of possible strikes.
Both sides are mourning casualties. Israeli media reported that two Israeli soldiers were killed in separate incidents in southern Lebanon on the same day. The cycle of violence shows no sign of abating, with diplomatic efforts in tatters and fighting intensifying along the border.