By An Israeli airstrike killed three Lebanese soldiers early Thursday morning as they evacuated wounded civilians near the southern village of Yater, marking a significant escalation in cross-border tensions even as France sought diplomatic solutions through an international conference supporting Lebanon’s armed forces.
The soldiers were killed around 4:15 a.m. while conducting humanitarian operations, according to Lebanese army officials. The incident occurred despite Israel’s previous assertions that it was not targeting Lebanese state forces, and there was no immediate Israeli comment on the strike.
The deaths coincided with a Paris conference aimed at mobilizing humanitarian aid and support for Lebanon’s military, seen as crucial to any diplomatic resolution of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the urgent need for peace: “There needs to be a ceasefire in Lebanon. More damage, more victims, more strikes will not enable the end of terrorism or ensure security for everyone.”
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had expressed concerns to his Israeli counterpart just hours before the incident about strikes against Lebanese armed forces, urging protection for both the Lebanese army and UN peacekeeping mission, according to Pentagon statements.
Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, speaking at the Paris conference, offered to deploy 8,000 soldiers as part of a ceasefire plan while appealing for international financial support and training. “The storm we are currently witnessing is unlike any other, because it carries the seeds of total destruction, not only for our country, but for all human values,” Mikati warned.
The conflict has extracted a heavy toll on Lebanon, with authorities reporting more than 2,500 deaths and over one million people displaced. The Lebanese army, which receives U.S. support and recruits across sectarian lines, is viewed as a crucial stabilizing force since the 1975-90 civil war, though it maintains limited influence in Hezbollah strongholds.
The Paris meeting emphasized UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, as the foundation for ending current hostilities. France announced support for recruiting 6,000 additional Lebanese troops and providing essential military supplies.
The deadly strike occurred amid intensifying violence, with Hezbollah claiming its first use of precision-guided missiles against Israel and Israeli forces conducting over 160 strikes on alleged Hezbollah targets throughout Lebanon. The escalation has killed 29 Israeli civilians and 52 soldiers over the past year, according to the Alma Research and Education Center.
