1 Lebanese killed in Israeli strike, 2 Israeli soldiers killed in south Lebanon

A Lebanese man was killed in an Israeli strike in south Lebanon while talks on implementing a ceasefire were ongoing. Around the same time, two Israeli soldiers were killed in a bomb explosion inside a booby-trapped building.

Lebanon's Ministry of Health said that an Israeli airstrike on a mosque at a cemetery in the town of Tibnin in south Lebanon on Wednesday (August 5) killed one person and wounded 12 others.

Earlier, an explosive device planted inside a booby-trapped building in the village of Majdal Zoun in south Lebanon detonated. This killed two Israeli soldiers, critically injured one, and wounded several others.

On Thursday (August 6) morning, the Israeli military confirmed the identities of the two soldiers killed as Harel Bierenstock and Tamir Vaknin.

Immediately after the explosion, the Israeli military said on Telegram that it had launched airstrikes on specific targets in south Lebanon in response to what it called a serious ceasefire violation by Hezbollah. At the same time, Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee ordered residents of the area to leave their homes immediately and move north.

Al Jazeera's Beirut-based correspondent Zeina Khodr reported that the village where the soldiers were killed remains under Israeli military occupation. She noted that the village lies near Al-Mansuri and that there is no Hezbollah presence there, which is why the incident is notable.

Khodr said that although the conflict has eased somewhat in recent weeks, the situation remains highly tense. Lebanese and Israeli diplomats and military officials continue talks aimed at implementing the ceasefire framework, though Israeli airstrikes on border villages have continued.

The ongoing talks between Lebanon and Israel in Rome, Italy, are expected to run through Thursday. In these talks, Beirut has been demanding a phased Israeli troop withdrawal from south Lebanon and an end to the attacks.

However, Hezbollah has rejected direct talks with Israel and refused to surrender its weapons. The group's leader, Naim Qassem, said the talks would bring Lebanon nothing but humiliation and repeated concessions.

According to Lebanon's Ministry of Health, Israeli attacks that began on March 2 have so far killed at least 4,333 people and wounded 12,250.