Israeli soldier killed, 7 wounded in southern Lebanon blast

An Israeli soldier was killed and seven others wounded in southern Lebanon after an explosive device detonated near a military command post, Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported early Thursday.

The incident occurred around 5 pm Wednesday as troops from the Givati Brigade were moving on foot near a forward command post of the deputy commander of the 36th Division, the report said.

The report cited the Israeli military as saying that what it described as an “enemy device” detonated near the force close to the Litani River, wounding seven soldiers with shrapnel. The injured were evacuated by helicopter to hospitals.

The incident came amid continued tensions along the Lebanese-Israeli border despite a recent understanding between Washington and Tehran aimed at ending hostilities following attacks launched by Israel and the US against Iran on Feb. 28.

Iranian officials have repeatedly said that halting Israeli military actions across regional fronts, particularly in Lebanon, is among the key objectives of a memorandum of understanding signed by the Iranian and US presidents on Wednesday.

Israel continues to occupy areas in southern Lebanon, some for decades and others since the latest conflict between the two sides. During the recent military campaign, Israeli forces advanced more than 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory.