{"id":894187,"date":"2026-06-26T13:22:23","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T13:22:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/894187\/"},"modified":"2026-06-26T13:22:23","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T13:22:23","slug":"4-idf-soldiers-injured-in-lebanon-clash-with-hezbollah-gunman-ahead-of-another-day-of-talks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/894187\/","title":{"rendered":"4 IDF soldiers injured in Lebanon clash with Hezbollah gunman, ahead of another day of talks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Four IDF soldiers, including two officers, were injured in a clash with a Hezbollah gunman in southern Lebanon on Thursday night, the military said Friday, as Israel and Lebanon were set for another day of direct talks in Washington.<\/p>\n

It came as the head of the Hezbollah terror group said Israel must leave southern Lebanon, arguing that a US-Iran understanding spelled \u201cdefeat\u201d for Israel, and as the cabinet is reportedly divided on how to proceed with the situation, with some calling for the current ceasefire to be scrapped in defiance of the United States.<\/p>\n

According to an IDF probe of the Thursday incident, at around 10 p.m. in the Beit Yahoun area, a Hezbollah operative who was hiding in a building threw a grenade at Israeli troops.<\/p>\n

A combat officer was moderately hurt in the incident, and another officer and two soldiers were lightly hurt, the IDF said.<\/p>\n

They were taken to the hospital for treatment, and their families were notified.<\/p>\n

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Within a few minutes, the forces returned fire, killing the operative, the probe found.<\/p>\n

The IDF also struck several Hezbollah sites in the area with artillery and airstrikes following the attack.<\/p>\n

The military also said it killed at least six Hezbollah operatives who posed a threat to troops operating in southern Lebanon.<\/p>\n

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\u05dc\u05d0\u05d7\u05e8 \u05e9\u05d6\u05d5\u05d4\u05d5 \u05d1\u05de\u05e8\u05d7\u05d1 \u05d4\u05d1\u05d9\u05d8\u05d7\u05d5\u05e0\u05d9: \u05e6\u05d4”\u05dc \u05d7\u05d9\u05e1\u05dc \u05de\u05d7\u05d1\u05dc\u05d9 \u05d7\u05d9\u05d6\u05d1\u05d0\u05dc\u05dc\u05d4 \u05e9\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5\u05d5 \u05d0\u05d9\u05d5\u05dd \u05e2\u05dc \u05db\u05d5\u05d7\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d4\u05e4\u05d5\u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd \u05d1\u05de\u05e8\u05d7\u05d1 \u05d4\u05d4\u05d2\u05e0\u05d4 \u05d4\u05e7\u05d3\u05de\u05d9<\/p>\n

\u05de\u05d5\u05e7\u05d3\u05dd \u05d9\u05d5\u05ea\u05e8 \u05d4\u05d9\u05d5\u05dd (\u05d4’), \u05db\u05d5\u05d7\u05d5\u05ea \u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05e7\u05e8\u05d1 \u05d4\u05d7\u05d8\u05d9\u05d1\u05ea\u05d9 \u05d2\u05d5\u05dc\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d1\u05e4\u05d9\u05e7\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d0\u05d5\u05d2\u05d3\u05d4 36 \u05d4\u05e4\u05d5\u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd \u05d1\u05d6\u05d5\u05d8\u05e8 \u05d0-\u05e9\u05e8\u05e7\u05d9\u05d9\u05d4, \u05d6\u05d9\u05d4\u05d5 \u05d7\u05de\u05d9\u05e9\u05d4 \u05de\u05d7\u05d1\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd \u05de\u05d0\u05e8\u05d2\u05d5\u05df \u05d4\u05d8\u05e8\u05d5\u05e8 \u05d7\u05d9\u05d6\u05d1\u05d0\u05dc\u05dc\u05d4 \u05e9\u05d4\u05d9\u05d5\u05d5 \u05d0\u05d9\u05d5\u05dd \u05e2\u05dc \u05db\u05d5\u05d7\u05d5\u05ea\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d4\u05e4\u05d5\u05e2\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd \u05d1\u05ea\u05d5\u05da \u05d4\u05de\u05e8\u05d7\u05d1\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/uNRdIgou5P<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 \u05e6\u05d1\u05d0 \u05d4\u05d4\u05d2\u05e0\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d9\u05e9\u05e8\u05d0\u05dc (@idfonline) June 25, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

According to the military, in one incident in Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, troops of the Golani Brigade spotted five Hezbollah operatives near them. In another incident, in the Ali Taher ridge area, troops of the Commando Brigade spotted an armed Hezbollah gunman.\n<\/p>\n

In both incidents, the Israeli Air Force carried out strikes and the ground forces opened fire on the operatives, killing them.<\/p>\n

The military said it continues to operate at the Ali Taher ridge, beneath which Hezbollah has a massive underground complex, where some 30 operatives are holed up.<\/p>\n

The IDF said it will \u201cnot allow Hezbollah terrorists to exit the underground tunnel network or operate in the area of the ridge.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Friday, Lebanese media reported that flyers had been dropped by an IDF drone over the southern Lebanon town of Mansouri, close to Tyre, reading: \u201cDanger Zone! Stay Away! Any approach toward Israeli army forces puts you in danger.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was no immediate confirmation from the IDF.<\/p>\n

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\u0635\u0648\u0631\u0629 \u0644\u0644\u0645\u0646\u0627\u0634\u064a\u0631 \u0627\u0644\u062a\u064a \u0627\u0644\u0642\u0627\u0647\u0627 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u0640 \u062f\u0648 \u0641\u064a \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0646\u0635\u0648\u0631\u064a pic.twitter.com\/Hh72S04xBj<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 \u0645\u0635\u062f\u0631 \u0645\u0633\u0624\u0648\u0644 (@fouadkhreiss) June 26, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Iran-backed Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into war when it began attacking Israel in March to support Iran after the US and Israel launched joint strikes. A memorandum of understanding signed last week by the US and Iran halted their war for 60 days while negotiations for a final ceasefire are held.\n<\/p>\n

The MOU included ending the fighting in Lebanon, where Israel has established a security zone aimed at keeping Hezbollah from the border. In addition, Israel and Hezbollah reached their own mediated agreement \u2014 which reduced the fighting \u2014 though clashes have continued on a daily basis. Israeli leaders have said they are not bound by the MOU and have vowed that forces will remain in southern Lebanon until the Hezbollah threat is removed. However, under pressure from the US, Israel has told the IDF to hold its fire, though the military still strikes at threats to troops.<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tHezbollah supporters march during the holy day of Ashoura that commemorates the 7th century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad\u2019s grandson Hussein, in Dahiyeh, Beirut\u2019s southern suburbs, Lebanon, June 26, 2026. (Hussein Malla\/AP)<\/p>\n

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said Friday Israel has \u201cno option\u201d but to unconditionally withdraw from Lebanese areas it occupies, as he rejected any normalization in ties between the countries amid ongoing direct talks between Jerusalem and Beirut.<\/p>\n

\u201cIsrael has no option but to withdraw completely from every inch of our Lebanese land\u2026 Israel must leave unconditionally,\u201d he said in a televised address to tens of thousands of supporters marking Ashura, a day of mourning for the death of a key figure in Shiite Islam.<\/p>\n

As Lebanese and Israeli officials hold direct talks in Washington for an agreement, Qassem said his terror group would accept \u201cno normalization, no cancellation of the state of hostility, no gains for Israel, and no partial presence on Lebanese soil\u2026 Israel must leave humiliated and defeated, and that is what will happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Qassem claimed that the US-Iran deal signed last week was a declaration of defeat for Israel and America, after the agreement also reduced fighting between his terror group and Israel.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey wanted a major war\u2026 to eliminate our existence,\u201d Qassem said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were able to stop this aggression and achieve a great victory\u2026 We have shattered the Israeli-American project and entered a new phase,\u201d he added. Iran \u201cwas able to reach the memorandum of understanding, which is an official declaration of the defeat of America and Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tHezbollah leader Naim Qassem delivers a speech broadcast on June 17, 2026. (Screenshot\/Al Manar via X)<\/p>\n

Israeli and Lebanese officials have since Tuesday been holding a fresh round of direct talks in Washington, without reaching a deal. The parties agreed to add an extra session of talks, with a fourth day of talks<\/a> set for Friday.<\/p>\n

Ministers argue over Lebanon policy<\/p>\n

On Thursday night, Israeli ministers clashed with security officials over policy in southern Lebanon, according to Hebrew media reports.<\/p>\n

While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz both defended strategies and insisted that the IDF has approval to strike out at any threats, far-right ministers were said to be critical, claiming troops are being held back, multiple reports said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happens with an emerging threat?\u201d asked National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, referring to reports that only threats defined as \u201cimmediate\u201d can prompt military action, and not those classified as \u201cemerging.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we see Hezbollah rearming, why aren\u2019t we taking it apart?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are soldiers being injured,\u201d Ben Gvir said. \u201cThis is an opportunity to collapse the ceasefire. We can cover hundreds of targets and bomb them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Settlements and National Projects Minister Orit Strock of the far-right Religious Zionism party backed Ben Gvir, asserting that soldiers feel like they are sitting targets and that Hezbollah is rearming in southern Lebanon.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe respond to every immediate threat to soldiers in the field,\u201d Netanyahu said, \u201cWe don\u2019t limit any soldier. The Americans understand our right to protect ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery soldier can respond immediately,\u201d Katz asserted, according to the reports. \u201cThere are advantages and disadvantages to the ceasefire, but we are not endangering any soldier.\u201d<\/p>\n

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir intervened, telling ministers: \u201cYou wanted the ceasefire.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t want the ceasefire exactly for this reason,\u201d Ben Gvir said.<\/p>\n

Ben Gvir went public with his position on Friday when he visited Jerusalem\u2019s Mahane Yehuda Market on its busiest day of the week.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ceasefire can\u2019t continue,\u201d he said. \u201cAs soon as the Lebanese, as Hezbollah, try to harm our soldiers, as soon as they rearm, we need to collapse the ceasefire.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun welcomed France\u2019s and Italy\u2019s efforts to set up a multinational coalition to succeed the UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL in his country, whose mandate expires at the end of the year.<\/p>\n

In a statement, Aoun called the initiative \u201ca sincere expression of the international commitment to supporting Lebanon\u2019s sovereignty and stability.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that France and Italy \u201cwant to launch a coalition for the post-UNIFIL arrangement, obviously in coordination with the European Union and the United Nations, to strengthen Lebanon\u2019s sovereignty and that of its armed forces\u201d and prevent its territory from being \u201ca foothold for regional escalation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon is made up of roughly 7,500 personnel from nearly 50 countries, and has been in place since 1978, although its presence has not prevented repeated outbreaks of conflict.<\/p>\n

Israel has long argued that the observer force has failed in its mission, doing little to block Hezbollah from building up its forces near the Israeli border over the decades, and completely failing to implement a 2006 UN Security Council resolution calling for Hezbollah to be disarmed and moved out of southern Lebanon.<\/p>\n

Last August, the Security Council, under US pressure, decided to end UNIFIL\u2019s mandate on December 31, 2026.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, after meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Macron said that France and Italy \u201cwant to launch a coalition for the post-UNIFIL arrangement, obviously in coordination with the European Union and the United Nations, to strengthen Lebanon\u2019s sovereignty and that of its armed forces\u201d and prevent its territory from being \u201ca foothold for regional escalation.\u201d<\/p>\n

France is one of UNIFIL\u2019s largest contributing countries.<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tLebanon\u2019s President Joseph Aoun speaks during a press conference after the EU Summit in Nicosia, Cyprus, April 24, 2026. (AP\/Petros Karadjias)<\/p>\n

Aoun also stressed Lebanon\u2019s eagerness for \u201cany international formula that strengthens the capabilities of its armed forces, preserves its territorial integrity, and prevents its land from becoming an arena for escalation or regional tensions.\u201d<\/p>\n

UN chief Antonio Guterres has said that peacekeepers will be needed in Lebanon after the mandate of the current mission expires, a suggestion likely to face opposition from the United States and Israel.<\/p>\n

Earlier this month, he proposed three options ranging from nearly 2,000 to more than 5,500 UN personnel to monitor the ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, and support the Lebanese armed forces.<\/p>\n

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