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Lebanese army retracts claim that Israeli strike wounded 5 soldiers

Lebanese soldiers stand guard in Zawtar al-Gharbiya on July 28, 2026, after the army deployed to the southern village last week. (AFP Photo)
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Lebanese soldiers stand guard in Zawtar al-Gharbiya on July 28, 2026, after the army deployed to the southern village last week. (AFP Photo)
August 02, 2026 03:39 PM GMT+03:00

The Lebanese army initially said five of its soldiers were wounded Sunday in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon, but later retracted that attribution, saying an on-scene inspection determined the explosion that wounded the soldiers was caused by "a suspicious object" rather than an Israeli attack, a revision that came after the Israeli military said it was unaware of any strikes in the area.

The Lebanese army initially said in a statement, carried by Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA): "Five soldiers were injured with minor wounds in the town of Kafra-Bint Jbeil due to a hostile Israeli strike while accompanying an army vehicle for the locals in the town."

The army said the soldiers were escorting civilians in an army vehicle at the time and sustained minor injuries.

The Israeli military subsequently said it was unaware of any strikes in the Kafra area of southern Lebanon.

The Lebanese army then issued a follow-up statement revising its account: "In follow-up to the previous statement regarding the injury of five soldiers with minor wounds, and as a result of the inspection conducted by the specialized unit, it has been determined that the explosion was caused by a suspicious object. Follow-up is underway to uncover the remaining details."

Thick plumes of smoke rise from the area following the Israeli strike carried out despite the ceasefire and the framework agreement in the town of Kfar Tebnit in Nabatieh, Lebanon, on July 31, 2026. (AA Photo)
Thick plumes of smoke rise from the area following the Israeli strike carried out despite the ceasefire and the framework agreement in the town of Kfar Tebnit in Nabatieh, Lebanon, on July 31, 2026. (AA Photo)

Other reported incidents in Lebanon

Separately, Lebanese media reported explosions in the town of Kounine in Nabatieh, which Israeli media described as apparently resulting from Israeli military demolition work targeting Hezbollah infrastructure.

NNA also reported explosions shortly after midnight near the town of Haddatha, also in the Bint Jbeil district, with blast sounds heard across several areas of southern Lebanon.

The Israeli military separately threw a sound bomb at an abandoned house in the town of Mansouri, near the city of Tyre, and an Israeli drone was reported flying at low altitude over Beirut and its southern suburbs since the morning.

Israeli drones were also reported over Beirut and its southern suburbs.

These developments come despite a U.S.-brokered framework agreement signed by Lebanon and Israel on June 26, which calls for a phased Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory in exchange for deployment of the Lebanese army and the disarmament of armed groups, understood as a reference to Hezbollah.

Israel has continued military action in Lebanon since March 2, when it launched intensive airstrikes and occupied several towns in the country's south.

The Lebanese government has said more than 1 million people were displaced during this period.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced April 24 that a 10-day interim ceasefire that took effect April 17 had been extended by three weeks; following a third round of U.S.-mediated talks between Lebanon and Israel on May 14-15, the ceasefire was extended a further 45 days effective May 17.

Lebanon's Health Ministry has said Israeli attacks since March 2 have killed 4,333 people and wounded 12,236 others.

Israeli forces have advanced more than 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory during the current offensive. A framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel was signed June 26 in Washington following a fifth round of direct talks between the two countries.

August 02, 2026 03:39 PM GMT+03:00
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