Israeli army accuses Hezbollah of ceasefire violation with drone launch in southern Lebanon

Updated — July 29, 2026 10:28 pm IST Source: AFP

The Israeli military has accused Hezbollah of a “blatant violation of the ceasefire” in Lebanon, stating that the Iran-backed militant group fired a drone at an Israeli vehicle on Wednesday (July 29, 2026).

According to the army, the incident occurred in a strip of territory where Israeli forces are currently operating — a zone approximately 10 kilometres deep inside southern Lebanon, running along the border with Israel.

“Overnight (Wednesday), Hezbollah launched an explosive drone toward an IDF engineering vehicle in the area of Ali al-Taher Ridge within the Security Zone,” the military said in a statement, describing the act as “a blatant violation of the ceasefire.”

The military confirmed that no injuries were reported among Israeli soldiers.

“Our troops continue to operate in the ridge area and will not allow terrorists in the area to advance or execute attacks against IDF soldiers,” the statement added.

Background

Under a U.S.-sponsored agreement signed last month:

• Lebanon’s army is to disarm Hezbollah
• The Israeli military is to withdraw from “pilot zones,” where Lebanese forces will subsequently deploy

The deal was reached more than three months after Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the wider West Asia war, launching rocket fire at Israel in support of Tehran on March 2, which triggered major Israeli airstrikes and a ground invasion.

Ongoing Tensions

While violence has declined since the signing of a preliminary U.S.-Iran deal last month and the Lebanon-Israel agreement, Lebanon continues to report intermittent Israeli strikes and artillery shelling in the south.

Lebanon’s army on Sunday (July 26, 2026) condemned ongoing Israeli military activities, stating they were preventing its full deployment under the framework deal.

Hezbollah has not claimed any attacks since June 20.

Published — July 29, 2026 10:25 pm IST