Six Lebanese soldiers killed in blast at Hezbollah arms depot near Israel border
The Lebanese troops were dismantling the Iran-backed group's weapons facility near the Israeli border when the explosion occurred. Beirut is under pressure to disarm Hezbollah under a ceasefire deal signed in November.
Six Lebanese soldiers were killed on Saturday as they were inspecting a weapons depot belonging to the
Iran
-backed
Hezbollah
group in the southern city of Tyre, the army said.
The depot was reportedly part of Hezbollah's military infrastructure, which the Lebanese army has been dismantling in cooperation with a United Nations team as part of a ceasefire agreement with
Israel
.
What do we know about the blast?
A statement from
Lebanon's
army said the soldiers were killed 'while an army unit was inspecting a weapons depot and dismantling its contents in Wadi Zibqin,' in the Tyre district near the Israeli border.
Investigations were underway to determine the cause of the blast, it added.
A military source, requesting anonymity, told the AFP news agency the blast took place 'inside a
Hezbollah
military facility.'
Troops were 'removing munitions and unexploded ordnance left over from the recent war' between Israel and Hezbollah when the blast occurred, the source added.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun described the explosion as a 'painful incident,' while Prime Minister Nawaf Salam paid tribute on X to the troops who were killed 'while performing their national duty.'
Lebanon bears brunt of regional turmoil
Lebanon has been caught in the middle of a side conflict between Israel and
Hezbollah
that began after the October 7, 2023, terror attacks on Israel by the Palestinian militant group
Hamas
, which sparked the Gaza war.
Israel and Hezbollah exchanged regular fire and attacks across the shared Lebanon-Israeli border for several months.
Hezbollah suffered major losses with over 5,000 fighters killed, along with senior commanders, including longtime leader
Hassan Nasrallah
.
Nasrallah was assassinated last September in an Israeli airstrike on Hezbollah's headquarters in a suburb of Beirut.
The smaller conflict was ended by a
US-brokered ceasefire
in November, under which Lebanon agreed to confiscate all 'unauthorized' weapons in the country.
In return, Israel said it would stop offensive operations against Lebanese targets.
Hezbollah, Iran push back against disarmament
The Lebanese government met this week to order the army to
develop a plan
to disarm Hezbollah before the end of the year.
The Iran-backed group has pushed back against the move. Naim Kassem, Hezbollah's current leader, has rejected calls to disarm, calling them 'US dictates' and a threat to Lebanon's sovereignty.
Hezbollah plays a special role in Lebanon as both a major political party and a heavily armed group that's stronger than the national army. This gives it huge influence over the country's government and security.
Iran supports Hezbollah financially and militarily, along with Hamas and
Yemen's Houthis
, to expand its regional power and as a counterweight to Israel and the US in the Middle East.
An adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei said Saturday that Tehran is opposed to Hezbollah's disarmament, according to Iran's pro-government Tasnim news agency.
Hezbollah is considered a terrorist organization by the US, Israel and several other countries, whereas the EU only recognizes Hezbollah's armed wing as a a terrorist group.
THe Lebanese Army's warning
Commenting on the violent protest by Hezbollah and its ally the Amal movement the Army Command warned citizens against endangering the country's security through reckless actions.
It added: 'The Army, while respecting the freedom of peaceful expression, will not allow any breach of security, violation of civil peace, blocking of roads, or encroachment on public and private property. It emphasizes the need for citizens and all parties to act responsibly during this difficult period, and the importance of their unity and solidarity in order to overcome the dangers threatening our country.'
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