Israeli Troops Kill Two in South Lebanon After Lull in Fighting

A man riding a motorcycle past destroyed buildings in Mayfadoun, May 23, 2026.

Israeli troops reported that they shot dead two men in Nabatieh al‑Fawqa, a town in south‑eastern Lebanon, on Tuesday. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, the victims were standing near a bulldozer that was clearing a road when the Israeli forces opened fire.

The Israeli military said the soldiers had fired at “four Hezbollah terrorists riding a bulldozer and a motorcycle” that posed a threat in the so‑called Ali al‑Taher ridge area—an area Israel has targeted for its alleged underground Hezbollah fortress. The Israeli command further claimed that the group had crossed into an Israeli‑declared security zone and ignored warning shots.

Lebanese state‑run National News Agency identified the two men as Mohammed Amhaz and Sajed al‑Hajj Ali. They were reportedly part of a team from the Islamic Health Association—an emergency service linked to Hezbollah—and were helping to reopen roads after the recent fighting.

Hezbollah’s response and the broader context

Hezbollah’s military wing condemned the strike as “a blatant violation of the ceasefire” and said it had not yet decided how to respond. The attack comes after a lull in fighting that began on Sunday when Israel and Hezbollah reached a ceasefire agreement after the Israel‑led offensive that spread from the broader war with Iran.

The Israeli Prime Minister has declared that troops will stay in Lebanon “as long as is necessary” to defend the security zone. Meanwhile, the United States is urging both parties to maintain the ceasefire, arguing that any violator could undermine diplomatic efforts in the region.

The incident marks the first reported fatality since the ceasefire, raising alarms about the fragility of the truce on Lebanon’s southern border.