By Abdelraouf Arnaout
JERUSALEM (AA) – Four Israeli reserve soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon, the military said on Monday.
A military statement said the soldiers were killed in an “operational accident” on Sunday while searching for Hezbollah weapons in the area.
The military said the four soldiers served in the army’s 226th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade of the 9263rd Battalion.
According to an initial army investigation, the "operational accident" happened while the forces were scanning a tunnel in the Labbouneh area when a cache of Hezbollah weapons detonated.
At least 813 Israeli soldiers have been killed in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon since Oct. 7, 2023, according to military figures.
On Nov. 27, a cease-fire deal between Israel and Lebanon came into force in the hope of ending 14 months of fighting between the Israeli army and Hezbollah. It is, however, described as fragile, as around 160 Israeli violations were documented by Lebanon.
Under the cease-fire terms, Israel is required to withdraw its forces south of the Blue Line – a de facto border – in phases, while the Lebanese army is to deploy in southern Lebanon within 60 days
The US and France are responsible for overseeing the agreement's implementation, but details on enforcement mechanisms are unclear.
Over 4,000 people have been killed and more than 16,500 injured in Israeli attacks in Lebanon, and over 1 million others have been displaced since October 2023, according to Lebanese health authorities.
*Writing by Ahmed Asmar