IDF launches strikes after Hezbollah ‘blatant ceasefire violation’ kills 2, wounds 4 soldiers
Israel issues first evacuation notice in weeks, IDF said to urge stronger response
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it launched “precise strikes” in southern Lebanon on Wednesday after a “blatant” ceasefire violation by Hezbollah, casting a shadow over the ongoing talks between Beirut and Jerusalem in Rome, Italy.
On Thursday, the IDF announced that two reserve soldiers were killed when an explosive device detonated during IDF operations in the town of Majdal Zoun. They were identified as Maj. (res.) Harel Birenstock (34), a company commander from Nokdim; and Sgt. Maj. (res.) Tamir Vaknin (33) from Eilat.
Four other soldiers were seriously wounded and rushed to a hospital. According to Army Radio, the incident happened when an IDF force from the 55th Brigade Combat Team was clearing the area of Hezbollah infrastructure.
The report also cited a senior security source who noted that Israel is treating the explosion as a violation of the ceasefire, though the IDF is currently not certain when the device was planted in the building.
Two reservist soldiers were killed and four were seriously wounded after being hit by an explosive device in the southern Lebanon town of Majdal Zoun yesterday, the IDF announces.
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) August 6, 2026
The slain troops are named as: Maj. (res.) Harel Birenstock, 34, a company commander from Nokdim;… pic.twitter.com/eo3sh31Qhm
In an immediate response, the IDF launched artillery and airstrikes at Hezbollah targets in the area. Later, the IDF issued a call to the residents of the village al-Mansouri, located in the Security Zone near the coast, to evacuate ahead of incoming strikes.
The security zone was supposed to be empty of civilians, though Lebanese reports suggested that some residents have begun returning to their homes despite the ongoing IDF presence.
A military source told Ynet News that the village “is located within the security zone under IDF control, where military activity is still taking place that endangers the lives of Lebanese civilians. The IDF evacuated them in order to protect their safety. The civilians arrived under the protection of the Lebanese army, which set up a checkpoint in the area in violation of the agreements.”
Doron Kadosh, Army Radio’s military correspondent, noted that it is only one kilometer from Majdal Zoun: “Both are within the security zone, which the IDF is ostensibly supposed to control and prevent civilians from entering, even if there is no permanent IDF presence there.”
#عاجل ‼️انذار عاجل الى سكان لبنان المتواجدين في قرية المنصوري
— Lieutenant Colonel Ella Waweya | إيلا واوية (@CaptainElla1) August 5, 2026
🔸في ضوء قيام حزب الله الارهابي بخرق اتفاق وقف اطلاق النار يضطر جيش الدفاع للعمل ضده بقوة. جيش الدفاع لا ينوي المساس بكم.
🔸حرصًا على سلامتكم، عليكم إخلاء منازلكم فوراً والابتعاد عن القرية شمالًا لمسافة لا تقل عن… pic.twitter.com/TD6HkM2pmE
“If civilians have recently returned to the village of Al-Mansouri, it is not inconceivable that Hezbollah terrorists also managed to return there—and get to within just one kilometer of Majdal Zoun,” possibly enabling them to plant the bomb there in recent weeks.
The Lebanese health ministry later said that an Israeli strike on a target in Tebnine killed one person and wounded 12 others.
According to Ynet News, the security establishment and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are still discussing whether to launch more powerful strikes in Lebanon, which the military reportedly requested but Netanyahu rebuffed, for now.
Meanwhile, this week’s round of talks between Israel and Lebanon, the seventh overall, continued in Rome, Italy, with Lebanese network LBCI describing the atmosphere as “delicate and sensitive.”
The main issues were the pilot areas for Israeli withdrawals, a full ceasefire, the demolition of terror infrastructure, and the destruction of villages in southern Lebanon.
Wednesday’s session ended several hours earlier than planned amid conflicting reports as to the cause.
An Israeli source told the Times of Israel that Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter asked the U.S. mediators to halt the talks on Wednesday due to the Lebanese delegation leaking false information to Lebanese media.
A U.S. State Department official later confirmed to AFP that the talks ended early, but apparently blamed the Israeli strikes while referring to “events on the ground.”
“Discussions focused on a range of political and military issues and were extremely productive. The technical teams made progress on determining key details on implementation of the Trilateral Framework,” the State Department official said.
The talks were expected to resume on Thursday as scheduled.
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