Israel reports first Lebanon soldier deaths since June

Israel reported its first military deaths in southern Lebanon since June 28, saying two reservists were killed in combat on Wednesday as US-backed talks with Lebanon continued in Rome.

The Israeli military identified the dead as Major Harel Birenstock, 34, and Sergeant Major Tamir Vaknin, 33, both of the 2855th Battalion, 55th Brigade.

Israel also carried out fresh strikes in southern Lebanon. The military said it had begun “precise strikes” in response to what it called a Hezbollah ceasefire violation, shortly after ordering residents of Mansouri to leave and move north. The warning was the first such Israeli evacuation order since June.

Lebanese state media said one person was killed and 11 were wounded in a separate Israeli strike.

In Rome, Israel requested that Wednesday's talks end three hours early, a person involved in the negotiations told AFP. The person said the head of the Israeli delegation, US ambassador Yechiel Leiter, blamed alleged “misleading leaks” by the Lebanese side. The talks were expected to resume Thursday for a third and final day.

At US-sponsored talks in June, Israel and Lebanon agreed to a framework deal involving Hezbollah's disarmament, a gradual Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the deployment of the Lebanese army to the south, starting in test areas known as pilot zones.

The current talks are the seventh round since Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in March in support of Iran, and Israel responded with airstrikes and a ground invasion. Lebanon says Israeli airstrikes and the ground invasion have killed more than 4,300 people. Israel's military says it has lost 38 soldiers and one civilian contractor in the war with Hezbollah.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said Tuesday that direct negotiations would bring Lebanon “nothing but shame, humiliation” and concessions. Hezbollah has rejected the direct talks and refuses to surrender its weapons.