Lethal explosion at weapons depot comes as military has been dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon.
No less than six Lebanese troopers have been killed in an explosion as they have been inspecting a weapons depot in southern Lebanon, the army has introduced.
In an announcement on Saturday, the Lebanese military stated the unit was dismantling the contents of the depot within the Wadi Zibqin space, within the Tyre area, when the explosion occurred. It stated different troopers have been injured however didn’t specify what number of.
“An investigation is underway to find out the reason for the incident,” the assertion stated.
The Lebanese military has been working with the United Nations peacekeeping drive in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) to dismantle Hezbollah army infrastructure as a part of a ceasefire deal with Israel that got here into drive in November.
The lethal explosion comes because the Lebanese authorities this week accepted United States-backed plans to disarm Hezbollah – a transfer the Lebanese group has rejected, saying such calls for serve Israeli pursuits.
It additionally comes simply days after Andrea Tenenti, a spokesperson for UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, stated troops had “found an enormous community of fortified tunnels” in the identical space.
UN spokesperson Farhan Haq had instructed reporters that peacekeepers and Lebanese troops discovered “three bunkers, artillery, rocket launchers, a whole bunch of explosive shells and rockets, anti-tank mines and about 250 ready-to-use improvised explosive gadgets”.
🧵 Lebanese military troopers work alongside @UNIFIL_ peacekeepers day-after-day to revive safety and stability to south Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/8s5EkNAdSh
— Diodato Abagnara (@DiodatoAbagnara) August 9, 2025
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stated in a social media submit on Saturday that “Lebanon mourns” the troopers who have been killed “whereas fulfilling their nationwide responsibility”.
Diodato Abagnara, head of the UNIFIL mission, additionally expressed condolences to the troops and their households.
“A number of devoted Lebanese troopers have been killed and others injured, merely doing their job to revive stability and keep away from a return to open battle,” Abagnara wrote on X.
“Honest needs for a full and quick restoration for the injured. Peacekeepers will proceed to assist the Lebanese Armed Forces and their work to revive stability, nonetheless we are able to.”