Israel said two reservists were killed and four others seriously wounded during operations in southern Lebanon, while Lebanese authorities said Israeli retaliatory strikes killed at least one person.
On Aug. 6, the Israeli military identified the soldiers as Maj. (Res.) Harel Birnshtok and Chief Master Sgt. (Res.) Tamir Vaknin.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that the four injured soldiers were evacuated to receive medical treatment.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz expressed their condolences in Aug. 6 statements, saying the two soldiers killed fell while fighting for the security of Israel and its residents in the north.
Lebanese health officials said on Aug. 5 that one person was killed and 12 others were wounded in an Israeli strike on the southern town of Tibnin, about 25 kilometers (15 miles) from Mansouri.
The strike followed an Israeli evacuation warning, which Lebanese authorities said was the first online warning issued for Lebanon in more than a month.
The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said that, as of Aug. 2, the cumulative death toll from what it describes as Israeli “aggression” had reached 4,333 people, with 12,250 others wounded.
The latest outbreak of violence comes against the backdrop of U.S.-facilitated talks on a broader peace and security framework in Rome.
The talks are focused on implementing a U.S.-brokered framework intended to reduce hostilities along the Israel–Lebanon border and establish a broader peace agreement.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said on Aug. 4 that the latest talks follow recent meetings between Netanyahu, President Donald Trump, and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
Pigott said the discussions were intended to advance implementation of the Trilateral Framework, including the pilot zone process, “verified disarmament of Hizballah and other Iran-backed security threats, redeployment of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, and laying the ground for a comprehensive peace and security agreement.”
Pilot Zones
The United States is overseeing a pilot zone initiative in southern Lebanon aimed at transferring security responsibilities from the IDF to the Lebanese army as part of a broader peace framework agreed by Israel and Lebanon on June 26.
The first phase covers the towns of Froun, Srifa, and Zawtar al-Gharbiya, where Lebanese troops are deploying in coordination with Israel, the United States, and the Military Coordination Group for Lebanon following a partial Israeli withdrawal.
Lebanese soldiers inspect vehicles as residents wait to enter the town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, following the withdrawal of Israeli forces under a U.S.-brokered plan, in southern Lebanon on July 24, 2026. Aziz Taher/Reuters
U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa on Aug. 3 urged caution over the initiative, warning that “moving too quickly” with the pilot zones “risks jeopardizing the very civilians this process is meant to protect.”
Issa said the rollout should proceed carefully to avoid creating new security risks for residents returning to southern Lebanon.
Border Incident
The Israeli military also reported on Aug. 6 a separate incident, where it said about 15 Israeli civilians crossed into Lebanon near the village of Ghajar after damaging the border fence. Israeli soldiers and Border Police officers located the group and returned them to Israel.
The civilians were transferred to the Israeli police for further investigation.
The military condemned the incident, saying such actions disrupted military operations, endangered soldiers, and constituted a criminal offense. It called on law enforcement authorities to hold those responsible accountable and prevent similar incidents from recurring.
The IDF also said its forces have spent recent months operating in southern Lebanon to eliminate what it described as threats posed by Hezbollah.
The military said troops uncovered thousands of Hezbollah sites, including command centers, weapons caches, launch sites, observation posts, and underground infrastructure.
Reuters contributed to this report.
