2 minute read
Two Lebanese army officers and a soldier were killed in an Israeli strike on a military vehicle in south Lebanon on Saturday, Reuters reported citing the Lebanese army, while the Israeli military said it was investigating the incident.
The Israeli military said it targeted the vehicle after identifying what it described as a threat to its forces and receiving indications that Hezbollah was preparing to fire on Israeli troops from the area.
Israel's military said an initial inquiry indicated that two officers and a soldier in the Lebanese army were inside the vehicle when it was struck.
Lebanon's army said the strike happened on the Khardali-Nabatieh road, some 70 km (44 miles) south of Beirut.
Iran-aligned Hezbollah condemned the strike, calling it a deliberate attack and part of Israel's continued aggression against Lebanon.
The group said the attack was the result of what it called the Lebanese authorities' disregard for the country's sovereignty and a series of concessions, including what it described as acquiescence to Israeli demands in Washington, which it said had emboldened Israel.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the Israeli strike, calling it a flagrant violation of Lebanon's sovereignty and international law that threatened stability in south Lebanon despite ongoing efforts to halt hostilities.
The Lebanese army has largely stayed out of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel and has not taken part in the fighting during the current conflict.