BEIRUT: Lebanon’s army said Saturday that several soldiers had been killed in an Israeli strike on a vehicle in the south, days after the two countries announced a conditional truce following talks in the United States.
“A number of military personnel, including an officer, were martyred in a barbaric Israeli raid targeting a military vehicle on the Khardali–Nabatieh road,” the army said in a statement posted to X.
Under the conditional truce, Hezbollah is supposed to stop its attacks against Israel and withdraw from near the border, while the Lebanese army will deploy to new “pilot zones” in the area where it would exercise exclusive control.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that no ceasefire agreement with Lebanon has yet been finalised, despite ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at ending months of cross-border hostilities.
Speaking at the start of a meeting of Israel’s war cabinet, Netanyahu said that from Israel’s perspective, there is currently no agreement in place, adding that negotiations remain incomplete.
“The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon has not been fully formulated and is not yet complete,” he said, according to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN.
Netanyahu added that Hezbollah’s opposition to the proposed arrangement remains a major obstacle, saying that “from Israel’s perspective, there is no current agreement.”
The Israeli premier also described US President Donald Trump as a strategic partner, stressing the importance of continued dialogue and coordination with Washington as negotiations proceed.
Meanwhile, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir told government ministers that the political leadership would need to decide the next phase of the campaign, while emphasising that the military remains prepared for a possible expansion of operations.
“If a ceasefire can be reached on terms acceptable to us, it is better that it happens today rather than a month later under the same conditions,” Zamir was quoted as saying.
According to Israeli and US sources cited by KAN, Israel’s proposed conditions include the demilitarisation of southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, the continued maintenance of an Israeli-controlled security zone, and guarantees allowing Israeli forces to act against what they describe as immediate threats.
Israel has expanded its military invasion of Lebanon in recent days, claiming that Hezbollah is violating a US-brokered ceasefire deal announced April 17 and extended until early July.
Israel violates the agreement daily through deadly bombardment and the widespread demolition of homes, while Hezbollah responds by firing rockets and drones at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon and northern Israel.
A joint Lebanese-US-Israeli statement announced on Thursday that Beirut and Tel Aviv agreed during talks in Washington to implement a ceasefire based on a complete halt to attacks by Hezbollah and the withdrawal of all its members from the area south of the Litani River.
Lebanese Preident Joseph Aoun said the US would determine the timing and mechanism for implementing the truce, which could begin within 24 hours of receiving approval.
Israel occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some held for decades and others seized during the 2023-2024 Israeli war.
During the current invasion, Israeli forces advanced more than 10 kilometres into Lebanese territory, marking their deepest occupation since 2000.
More than 3,500 people have been killed and over 10,000 wounded in Israeli attacks across Lebanon since March 2, according to Lebanese officials.
