On 23 June 2026, Israeli soldiers shot dead two civilians in southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese health ministry. The deaths occurred near a bulldozer clearing roads in Nabatieh al‑Fawqa.
The victims, identified by the National News Agency as Mohammed Amhaz and Sajed al‑Hajj Ali, were members of a Hezbollah‑affiliated emergency aid team. Hezbollah condemned the killings as a deliberate violation of the ceasefire that was announced last weekend.
Israeli forces said their soldiers fired at "four Hezbollah terrorists" on a bulldozer and a motorcycle that had entered the Israeli‑declared security zone and had ignored warning shots. The military also reported hitting an armed cell north of the security zone, though no casualties were confirmed.
The incident marks the first fatality since the ceasefire largely held after the lull in fighting on Sunday. Nevertheless, sporadic clashes continue along the border, with Israeli troops maintaining that they will remain where necessary to counter Hezbollah threats.
The wider conflict, reignited in March when Hezbollah launched rockets following an Israeli strike on Iran’s supreme leader, has killed over 4,200 Lebanese civilians and displaced more than 1.2 million people. Israeli casualties on both sides include 36 soldiers and four civilians.
The United States and Iran are monitoring the situation closely, with Iran’s ambassador to the UN warning that any breach of the ceasefire could derail broader diplomatic progress. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that Israeli forces will maintain a presence in Lebanon "as long as necessary".
Images of the incident show a motorcycle rider passing damaged buildings, while traffic congestion in south Lebanon remains due to ongoing clashes.
This is an original statement by RTWNews based on BBC's live coverage and official reports.
