Tensions Rise: Israeli Strike Claims Lebanese Soldiers

Two Lebanese soldiers were killed and three others injured by an Israeli strike on a Lebanese army post, escalating tensions. Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the attack. The Lebanese army typically remains neutral in the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, focusing on domestic order.

In a severe escalation of regional tensions, two Lebanese soldiers were killed, and three others were wounded following an Israeli strike on a military post in southern Lebanon, according to a statement from the Lebanese army on Friday.

The incident has raised the death toll of Lebanese soldiers on duty to five, with an additional 16 having been killed in off-duty incidents, as reported by a security source to Reuters. While Israel has not immediately commented on the incident, Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has condemned the continued hostilities, describing them as 'persistent Israeli crimes against Lebanon.'

This tension is rooted in the conflict that erupted a year ago between Israel and Hezbollah, which started when the Iranian-supported group launched attacks on northern Israel in support of Hamas, the governing body in the Gaza Strip. Historically, the Lebanese army has abstained from engaging in the conflict, maintaining its focus on internal peacekeeping duties.

(With inputs from agencies.)