File image.
An Israeli soldier was killed and at least six others were wounded in a Hezbollah drone strike in southern Lebanon on April 26.
The incident came amid a ceasefire that has seen regular exchange of strikes between the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Hezbollah. The ceasefire was declared by United States President Donald Trump, who initially said it would last for ten days, before announcing a three week extension.
The IDF said that the slain soldier was serving in the ranks of the 7th Armored Brigade’s 77th Battalion. An officer and three troops were seriously wounded, one soldier was moderately hurt and another soldier was lightly injured in the same incident.
A tank of the 77th Battalion got stuck in the town of Taybeh, within the Israeli-declared security zone, according to an IDF probe of the incident. While the troops were working to repair the tank, a Hezbollah “explosive-laden drone “struck next to them, killing the soldier and wounding the other troops.
An Israeli Air Force helicopter was then dispatched to take the wounded troops to a hospital. During efforts to evacuate the wounded troops, Hezbollah launched two more at the forces, per the probe.
One of the drones was intercepted by the soldiers, while the second struck near the troops and the helicopter, without causing any additional injuries or damage.
Hezbollah later claimed responsibility for the deadly attack, saying it was a response to recent Israeli violations of the ceasefire.
The group has been using small first-person view (FPV) quadcopters. Some of the drones are guided using fiber-optic cable, which can’t be jammed in any way. Its military media shared several videos showing strikes with such drones against IDF vehicles in southern Lebanon. All the strikes took place during the ceasefire.
Responding to the latest deadly attack, the IDF issued an evacuation warning for several towns outside of its security zone in southern Lebanon.
“In light of the Hezbollah terror organization’s violation of the ceasefire agreement, the IDF is compelled to act against it with force,” said army spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee.
Civilians in Mayfadoun, Shoukine, Yohmar, Arnoun, Zawtar al-Sharqiyah and Kfar Tebnit were instructed to evacuate their homes and move at least a kilometer away from an area designated on a map published by the IDF.
Strikes hit some of the towns shortly after. The IDF claimed that the strikes targeted rocket-launching squads that were planning attacks on troops and Israel, a primed rocket launcher, a weapons depot and other buildings used by Hezbollah fighters.
The military said it also struck Hezbollah operatives in a building known to be used by the group, and another operative on a motorcycle.
Speaking at the weekly cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hezbollah of threatening the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
“It must be understood that Hezbollah’s violations are, in practice, dismantling the ceasefire,” he said.
“We are acting vigorously according to the rules we agreed upon with the United States and, incidentally, also with Lebanon,” Netanyahu added. “This means freedom of action not only to respond to attacks, which is obvious, but also to thwart immediate threats and also neutralize emerging threats.”
Netanyahu also said that according to the IDF, over the past two weeks of the ceasefire, “we have eliminated 46 terrorists [in southern Lebanon], and we will act with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. We are not prepared to accept this lawlessness. We will do whatever is necessary to restore security to the North.”
Hezbollah rejected Netanyahu’s accusation, vowing in a statement that it would keep responding to what it called Israel’s violations and occupation of southern Lebanon.
In a statement, the group said its attacks against the IDF are “a legitimate response to the enemy’s persistent violations of the ceasefire since the first day of the announcement of the temporary ceasefire.”
Overall, there is still no real ceasefire in southern Lebanon. The IDF has halted ground operations in the region. Nevertheless, it likely did so due to the fierce resistance of Hezbollah. The group from, from its side, is clearly planning to fight until the very end.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com