BEIRUT, August 9: Six Lebanese soldiers lost their lives on Saturday in an explosion at a weapons depot in Wadi Zibqin, Tyre district, near the Israeli border. According to an army statement, the blast occurred while troops were inspecting and dismantling the contents of the facility.
A military source, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the depot was part of a Hezbollah military site. The soldiers were reportedly removing munitions and unexploded ordnance left from recent hostilities when the explosion took place. Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the blast.
The tragedy comes shortly after the Lebanese government directed the army to disarm Hezbollah by year’s end under a plan stemming from last year’s ceasefire with Israel. The Iran-backed group has rejected the decision, while Tehran has publicly opposed the move.
President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam paid tribute to the fallen soldiers, calling them martyrs who died fulfilling their national duty. UN peacekeeping commander Major General Diodato Abagnara praised the troops’ efforts to restore stability and prevent renewed conflict.
The incident occurred days after UN forces reported discovering an extensive network of fortified tunnels in the same area, containing artillery, rockets, mines, and improvised explosives. Israeli forces, meanwhile, have continued targeting Hezbollah positions despite the truce, with one person killed in an airstrike on Ainata earlier the same day.
