Lebanon Army Chief Makes Surprise Visit to Pakistan as Funerals Prepare for Soldiers Killed by Israel

Funerals for Lebanese officers killed in an Israeli attack in southern Lebanon will be held on Sunday (June 8), a day after a brigadier general, a captain and a soldier died in an airstrike on a military vehicle on the Khardali-Nabatieh road. The Israeli military said it was investigating the incident.

A ceasefire agreement reached on April 17 was intended to halt fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, but Israel has continued to launch near-daily attacks, prompting Hezbollah retaliation. The violence has disproportionately affected Lebanese civilians, with more than 3,500 killed since the conflict reignited on March 2.

A separate conditional ceasefire was announced by Lebanese and Israeli envoys in Washington last week, but was rejected by Hezbollah for not including the group and failing to mandate an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

Lebanon's army chief Rodolphe Haykal departed for Pakistan on Saturday (June 7). Pakistan has emerged as a central mediator between the United States and Iran. The visit comes as Washington and Lebanon's leadership, including the president, emphasize that ceasefire negotiations for Lebanon must remain separate from Pakistan-mediated U.S.-Iran talks.

Fighting continues in southern Lebanon

Meanwhile, Israeli strikes targeted several towns in southern Lebanon and the western Bekaa valley overnight. Hezbollah said it launched rockets, artillery and drones at Israeli forces, including near Beaufort Castle in Yohmor al-Shaqif.

Lebanon's Health Ministry said on Sunday that an Israeli airstrike on the town of Saksakiyeh a day earlier had killed at least two people. The ministry added that 22 people were wounded in the attack, including three children and a woman. Two others were wounded after an Israeli drone strike on the town of Shahabiyeh, according to Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA).

Israeli airstrikes also hit the town of Qalawiya at dawn, along with the towns of al-Qatrani, Byblos and Rihan in the Jezzine district. The town of Deir Kifa in the Tyre district was also bombed, while Barashit and Chaqra in the same district endured continuous shelling overnight. The NNA also reported shelling on the towns of al-Mansouri and Bayt al-Sayyad in the Tyre district.

Rescuers were still searching for survivors under rubble following Israeli attacks. Analysts suggest this pattern is part of what is termed the 'Gazafication of Lebanon', as Israel applies tactics normalized in Gaza, including targeting schools, hospitals and 'double-tap' strikes on rescuers. Hundreds of Palestinian and Lebanese rescuers have been killed.

Lebanese lawmaker: No alternative but negotiation

Najat Aoun Saliba, an independent member of Lebanon's parliament, condemned Israel's killing of Lebanese soldiers and argued that President Joseph Aoun had no choice but to negotiate with Israel. She said: "If we don't negotiate, what is the alternative? Is the alternative war? War will not bring us peace."

Saliba argued that dialogue is the only viable path given the power disparity between the Israeli and Lebanese armies. She stressed: "The balance of power between the armies is incomparable. Israel has a very strong army backed by the U.S. The Lebanese Armed Forces have been marginalized by political will for 30 years, because they wanted to consolidate Hezbollah's presence."

The lawmaker added that Hezbollah cannot halt Israeli aggression. "Hezbollah cannot stop any war crime, and cannot stop any invasion Israel is carrying out. I think, with all these massacres and destruction, we have no other choice."

The deaths of Brigadier General Wissam Sabra, Captain Elie Khoury, and Soldier Hussein Ghozal came at a tense time as efforts to reach an agreement between the U.S., Iran, Hezbollah, the Lebanese government and Israel were underway. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the attack 'aimed to undermine all efforts to find a solution,' while Prime Minister Nawaf Salam described it as a 'savage crime and an attack on Lebanon and all Lebanese people.'

Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East conflict after Iran-backed Hezbollah attacked Israel on March 2 following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. Tehran has conditioned a ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah on any peace deal with Washington.