Israeli occupation forces sustained significant losses on Sunday after Hezbollah Resistance fighters targeted an armored column in southern Lebanon, amid continued violations of the recently declared ceasefire.
According to a statement released by the Resistance, an Israeli convoy consisting of eight armored vehicles was moving on April 19, from the town of Taybeh toward the old al-Sal‘a outpost near Deir Seryan when it was struck by a pre-planted chain of explosive devices.
The explosion involved multiple explosive charges detonated in two successive waves between 3:40 pm and 4:40 pm local time. The blasts resulted in the destruction of four Merkava tanks, which were seen engulfed in flames following the explosions.
The attack comes as Israeli occupation forces persist in breaching the ceasefire agreement, with repeated documented violations reported since the truce entered into force three days prior. The movement of the armored column was itself part of ongoing Israeli military activity in the area.
At approximately 6:00 pm, Israeli forces reportedly moved to withdraw the damaged tanks from the site following the attack.
The operation underscores the continued operational readiness of the Islamic Resistance in southern Lebanon, particularly in leveraging pre-planned defensive measures against advancing Israeli occupation forces.
The Israeli military command had announced that an Israeli reservist soldier was killed and nine others were wounded in an improvised explosive device incident in southern Lebanon on Saturday. Reports indicate that the incident occurred in the border village of Kfar Kila, opposite of Metulla, which has seen extensive periods of Israeli military occupation and incursions since the 66-day war on Lebanon in 2024. On Sunday, Israeli media reported that an Israeli soldier was killed and nine others were wounded, including one seriously, after an explosive device detonated in an area it occupies in southern Lebanon. The soldier served in the 769th “Hiram” Regional Brigade’s 7106th Battalion.
According to an initial military probe, the incident occurred during operations in Israeli-occupied territory, where an engineering vehicle was struck by an IED planted in the area. Troops securing the machinery were caught in the blast, resulting in multiple casualties. The wounded were airlifted to hospitals, while the Israeli regime says its forces launched their own attacks near the area following the explosion.
A day earlier, Israeli media reported that another reservist, a warrant officer, was killed and three soldiers were wounded in a similar explosion in the southern Lebanese village of Jebbayn. The troops were reportedly scanning a building for weapons when the device detonated.
The Israeli military command has not yet commented on the ambush in Deir Seryan, however, Israeli media reports did state that a total of 36 troops have been killed or injured between Saturday and Sunday.
The Israeli military command had announced that its forces would operate in a so-called "advanced defense zone" within southern occupied Lebanon, extending from Ras al-Bayyada on the coast to Shebaa in the east. The zone is seen as a prelude to a prolonged Israeli occupation and an attempt to push settlers into Lebanese territory.
The announcement comes as part of a push by the Israeli regime to impose a new status quo in areas located in a region 8-10 km from Israeli sites in occupied Lebanese, Palestinian, and Syrian territories.
However, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon has emphasized that a ceasefire must include a complete halt to Israeli violations, including incursions and destruction of property.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem stated that the Resistance remains prepared to respond to any aggression, stressing that the ceasefire cannot be one-sided and must be respected by both parties. He outlined key priorities for the next phase, including a full Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory, the return of displaced residents to their villages, and the launch of reconstruction efforts supported at both the national and international levels.
Sheikh Qassem also stressed the importance of strengthening Lebanese sovereignty, maintaining internal unity, and preventing foreign interference.
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