Israeli Forces Fire on Civilians in Southern Lebanon, Killing Two, Prompting Hezbollah Truce Violation Accusations

Israeli forces opened fire on a group of civilians in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, killing two people and wounding two others in the first deadly incident since a fragile ceasefire took effect days earlier, according to Lebanese state media and local officials. The attack occurred in the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa, where residents were using a bulldozer to clear a road. Lebanese officials reported that Israeli troops fired machine guns toward a man standing near the excavator, striking the group. An Israeli airstrike later targeted an excavator clearing rubble from a previously damaged house in the same town, according to local reports. The Israeli military stated that it struck "armed terrorists who posed an immediate threat" to its soldiers operating in a declared "security zone" in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah denounced the attack as a "treacherous" and "blatant violation" of the ceasefire agreement, which was brokered by the United States and took effect on Sunday. The group's deputy political council head, Mahmoud Qamati, warned that Hezbollah would respond to any violations, stating the retaliation would come "in kind" and there would not be a "return to the pre-war situation." Hezbollah did not immediately announce a specific retaliatory action. The incident has heightened tensions amid ongoing U.S.-mediated negotiations between Israel and Lebanon in Washington, D.C., which began on Tuesday. Iranian officials, including Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, pressured the United States to force Israel to halt its attacks, warning that violations of the truce could undermine the broader peace process. Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, issued a joint statement asserting that the military would continue to "act with determination in order to neutralize threats" and maintain a security zone in southern Lebanon. According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli attacks have killed at least 4,106 people in Lebanon since March 2 and displaced approximately 1.2 million people. On the Israeli side, at least 32 soldiers and four civilians have died in the conflict with Hezbollah. The ceasefire has brought a degree of calm, with some residents beginning to return to their homes, though local officials advised caution following the shooting.