Key facts
- Nine people were killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon on Saturday.
- Three Lebanese Army personnel, including a brigadier general and a captain, were among the dead.
- The Lebanese Army described the strike as an "aggressive and barbaric raid."
- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the attack, stating the vehicle was moving suspiciously.
- The incident occurred days after a new ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah.
Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday resulted in the deaths of nine individuals, including three members of the Lebanese Army, among them a brigadier general and a captain. The Lebanese Army condemned the strike as an "aggressive and barbaric raid." The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the targeted vehicle was moving suspiciously towards their forces and that gunfire had been reported in the area. This incident follows closely on the heels of a new ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah, raising regional tensions. The U.S. has been pressuring the Lebanese government and army to disarm Hezbollah, a powerful paramilitary group. However, restrictions on weaponry for the Lebanese armed forces and the internal political divisions within Lebanon complicate these efforts. The killing of Lebanese officers by Israeli fire may further disincentivize the army from acting against Hezbollah. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun's recent criticism of Iran and Hezbollah for turning Lebanon into a "bargaining chip" has drawn sharp responses, including a sarcastic retort from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who suggested Israel is Lebanon's true adversary.