BEIRUT/JERUSALEM — Two people were killed in southern Lebanon on Tuesday due to Israeli gunfire, according to reports from Lebanon's Civil Defence and state media. This incident marks the first fatalities attributed to Israeli fire in the region in three days, threatening to disrupt a fragile ceasefire that had largely held between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah since Sunday.
Lebanon’s state news agency (NNA) reported that Israeli soldiers opened fire on a group of individuals near a bulldozer clearing a road in the al-Deir neighbourhood of Nabatieh al-Fawqa. In a separate statement, the Israeli military confirmed that it "struck armed terrorists who posed an immediate threat" to soldiers in the Ali al-Taher ridge area, an active security zone maintained by Israeli forces. It remains unconfirmed if both reports refer to the same event.
The incident comes at a sensitive time for ongoing peace negotiations. Last week, Iran and the United States signed an interim agreement aimed at de-escalating regional tensions, which includes a provision for a ceasefire in Lebanon. Ali Bahreini, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, warned that any breach of this memorandum of understanding could jeopardize broader peace talks.
"Lebanon is an unquestionable part of the agreement, and whatever happens in Lebanon affects the whole process," Bahreini stated, calling on the United States to exert greater leverage over Israel to ensure compliance with the ceasefire.
Read Also: Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz Following Israel’s Attacks on Lebanon
On Monday, a joint statement following U.S.-Iranian talks in Switzerland announced the formation of a "de-confliction cell" intended to monitor and ensure adherence to the termination of hostilities. Despite these diplomatic efforts, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that Israeli troops would maintain "full freedom of action" to address emerging threats from Hezbollah and would remain in southern Lebanon "as long as is necessary."
The human toll of the conflict remains severe. According to the Lebanese health ministry, over 4,100 people including 773 women, children, and healthcare workers have been killed, and approximately 1.2 million residents have been displaced. On the Israeli side, the death toll stands at 32 soldiers and four civilians.
From what we've seen, this incident shows how fragile the ceasefire really is. One event can undo weeks of diplomacy.
As the conflict continues, the success of the U.S.-brokered interim deal, which mandates a permanent termination of operations across all fronts, remains under intense scrutiny from both international observers and regional stakeholders.
