Two Israeli soldiers killed in Southern Lebanon, military says

Captain and sergeant die during operational activity in southern Lebanon.

The Israeli military announced on Saturday the deaths of two soldiers who had been engaged in operations in southern Lebanon as part of ongoing fighting against Hezbollah.

According to the army, 23-year-old Captain Shahar Gamla died on Saturday after succumbing to wounds sustained during combat, while 21-year-old Sergeant Ohad Yaari was killed on Friday during operational activity in southern Lebanon.

With these latest casualties, Israel’s military losses in the ongoing conflict in Lebanon have risen to 29 soldiers, in addition to one civilian contractor, based on official figures.

The wider conflict has also taken a heavy toll in Lebanon, where more than 3,500 people have been killed since the escalation of hostilities, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

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Separately, the Lebanese army reported that several of its personnel, including an officer, were killed in an Israeli strike targeting a military vehicle on the Khardali–Nabatieh road in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese military described the attack as a “barbaric raid” in a statement shared on X.

The incident comes shortly after both sides agreed to a conditional truce following talks mediated in the United States. However, the ceasefire, which was initially intended to halt fighting, has faced repeated violations, with both Israel and Hezbollah accusing each other of breaching the agreement.

A renewed conditional understanding reportedly discussed this week in Washington outlines that Hezbollah would halt rocket fire and withdraw from border areas, while Lebanon’s army would be deployed to designated “pilot zones” to assume exclusive security control.

Despite diplomatic efforts, cross-border tensions continue to escalate, raising concerns over the stability of the fragile truce and the wider regional situation.