Ongoing talks, field developments in southern Lebanon

The Israeli army announced that four of its soldiers, including two officers, were wounded during a clash with an armed individual in southern Lebanon, while Israeli airstrikes continued across areas in the south. The developments come amid political and diplomatic activity related to the security situation and the future of international forces, as well as ongoing indirect talks between Lebanon and Israel mediated by the United States.

The Israeli army said one officer sustained moderate injuries, while another officer and two soldiers were lightly wounded in the confrontation. It added that the injured were transferred to hospital for treatment and their families were notified.

On the ground, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that Israeli warplanes carried out two airstrikes early on Friday targeting the outskirts of the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon, killing two people and injuring another.

In a separate incident, a war remnant explosion in the town of Mansouri killed one person and seriously injured another, according to Lebanese authorities.

These developments come amid continued confrontations between Israel and Lebanon, despite ceasefire agreements announced over recent months, which have witnessed repeated violations in the form of Israeli airstrikes, drone strikes, and artillery shelling targeting areas in southern Lebanon.

On the political front, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun welcomed a joint announcement by French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni calling for the formation of an international coalition to establish a mechanism for the post-mandate phase of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Aoun said the initiative reflects international support for Lebanon’s sovereignty and stability, praising the role of the Lebanese army in maintaining security and asserting state authority, particularly in the southern border areas.

He also reaffirmed Lebanon’s openness to any international framework that strengthens the capabilities of the army, preserves the country’s territorial integrity, and prevents it from becoming an arena for regional conflicts.

For his part, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said in a speech marking the conclusion of the Ashura procession that the party had succeeded in “halting the aggression and thwarting the Israeli-American project,” describing the recent memorandum of understanding as a “formal declaration of the defeat of the United States and Israel.”

Qassem stressed that any commitment that undermines Lebanon’s sovereignty “will not pass,” affirming the continuation of what he described as resistance, and calling for a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory and an end to its military operations.

He also urged Lebanese authorities to strengthen internal unity and accelerate reconstruction efforts, saying that regional understandings could contribute to supporting stability and Lebanese sovereignty.