Why it matters:
The incident underscores the ongoing danger posed by unexploded Israeli ordnance in southern Lebanon, years after previous aggressions and months after the latest war in Lebanon, continuing to claim military and civilian lives despite a declared ceasefire.
The big picture:
Southern Lebanon has long been littered with deadly remnants from past Israeli offensives. The latest explosion comes amid renewed escalation, with Israeli forces maintaining military outposts inside Lebanese territory and carrying out near-daily strikes despite the November 2024 truce.
Key points:
- Casualties: Six soldiers killed instantly; a seventh later succumbed to injuries. Two others were wounded.
- Location: Between Majdal Zoun and Zebqine, Tyre district.
- Cause: Ammunition remnants from Israeli aggression detonated while an army engineering team attempted to neutralize them.
- Context: Israeli forces launched a major offensive in Lebanon on Oct. 8, 2023, escalating to full-scale war by September 2024, killing over 4,000 and injuring about 17,000.
- Ceasefire terms: Israel was due to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, 2025, but still occupies five border outposts.
State of play:
Shortly after the blast, Israeli occupation forces opened machine-gun fire from the Radar military site toward the outskirts of Shebaa.
On Friday, Israeli strikes killed at least seven civilians and injured more than ten others across Lebanon.
Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed six deaths and ten injuries from an Israeli strike on the Masnaa road in eastern Lebanon.
Separate attacks killed civilians in Kafr Dan (Baalbek district) and on the Ansariyeh road in southern Lebanon.
Between the lines:
Since the November 27, 2024, ceasefire, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 240 civilians in Lebanon, according to local reports, constituting repeated violations of the truce.
Go deeper:
The continued Israeli military presence and bombardment after the truce reflect the fragile nature of the ceasefire, with both Hezbollah and the Israeli military engaging in tit-for-tat strikes that threaten to reignite full-scale hostilities.
Israeli Airstrikes Target Bekaa Valley in Lebanon
Hossein Vaez - Hossein Vaez
