A deadly explosion ripped through an arms depot in southern Lebanon on Saturday, killing six soldiers and injuring several others.
The incident occurred in Wadi Zibqin, located in the Tyre area near the Israeli border, where an army unit was dismantling munitions left behind after last year’s conflict. Investigators have launched efforts to determine the exact cause.
A military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the blast happened within a facility formerly used by Hezbollah.
He noted that the soldiers were clearing unexploded ordnance when the explosion took place.
Lebanon’s president was swiftly informed by the army commander, while the prime minister paid tribute to the fallen soldiers, saying they died while serving their country.
He described the army as a guardian of national unity and its institutions.
The explosion comes amid the Lebanese government’s approval of a U.S.-backed plan to disarm Hezbollah and transfer all weapons to state control by the end of the year.
Hezbollah has rejected the plan, calling for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from occupied hills and an end to airstrikes.
Meanwhile, UN peacekeepers and Lebanese army units continue dismantling militant infrastructure in the south.